Baltimore, Maryland – In a disturbing case of child exploitation, David William Jai Herder, a 41-year-old resident of Ijamsville, Maryland, has been sentenced to seven years in federal prison for distributing child pornography.
The sentence was handed down by U.S. District Judge Stephanie A. Gallagher, who also ordered Herder to pay restitution totaling $45,000 to identified victims abused by others to produce the child pornography that Herder subsequently distributed, received, and/or possessed.
The case began in January 2020, when investigators at the Federal Bureau of Investigation received information regarding the trading of child pornography in several chat groups on a messaging application. Herder was identified as one of the individuals participating in the trading and distribution of child pornography images. In June 2020, Herder distributed at least two images of child pornography, both depicting prepubescent females between the ages of four and nine years old.
Law enforcement executed a search warrant at Herder’s residence on August 27, 2020, seizing several electronic devices, including two phones and a tablet. Further investigation revealed that Herder possessed a total of 887 videos and 597 image files of child pornography, and that he distributed a total of 100 videos and 70 image files depicting the sexual abuse of minors.
According to Herder’s plea agreement, he informed investigators that he created the instant messaging account associated with the child pornography and that he used chatrooms to distribute, as well as receive, child pornography. Herder also detailed that he had been looking at child exploitive material one to two times a day for sexual pleasure, preferring children 6-7 years old and older.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the FBI and the Frederick County Sheriff’s Office for their work in the investigation.
Herder’s sentence serves as a stark reminder of the severity of child pornography distribution and the importance of holding perpetrators accountable. The Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office has dedicated resources to investigating and prosecuting cases of child exploitation and abuse, and we urge the public to report any suspicious activity to the authorities.
Related Federal Cases
- David D. Lerssen Jr, Child Pornography Distribution, MO 2023 · Kansas
- Brian Kenneth McCort, Child Pornography Distribution, Maryland 2023 · Maryland
- Gary Rocky Jones, Child Pornography Distribution, Maryland 2020 · Maryland
- David Earl Taylor, Produced Child Pornography, Bristol TN, 2016 · Tennessee
- Thomas Hanes, Child Pornography Distribution and Possession, Louisiana · Louisiana
Key Facts
- State: Maryland
- Category: Sex Crimes
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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