A former Dallas police officer has admitted to collecting and distributing some of the most disturbing child pornography imaginable. Daniel Lee Collins, 35, a former senior corporal with the Dallas Police Department, pleaded guilty Friday to possession of child pornography involving prepubescent girls and images depicting sadistic conduct, according to U.S. Attorney Erin Nealy Cox for the Northern District of Texas.
Collins entered his plea before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jeffrey Cureton, acknowledging he accessed and stored sexually explicit material through his Google email accounts in the spring of 2020. Court documents reveal he knowingly possessed images of actual minors, including a nude prepubescent female, and that the material portrayed sadistic or masochistic acts. Worse still, he admitted to distributing at least one file containing child sexual abuse material.
The case exploded when Google flagged multiple uploads of illegal images tied to Collins’ online activity. On May 13 and June 29, 2020, three explicit files were uploaded—one to an account labeled “Dan Collins” and two to an account under “John Smith.” All were traced back to the City of Dallas internet network. Google reported the activity to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, which triggered a Cyber Tipline alert to the Dallas Police Department.
Investigators from Homeland Security Investigations’ Dallas Field Office, assisted by Dallas PD, tracked the IP addresses used in the uploads. They linked both Google accounts not only to city network access but also to Collins’ personal residence. Digital forensics confirmed repeated access and storage of child exploitation material on devices tied to Collins.
Collins, once entrusted with enforcing the law, resigned from the Dallas Police Department just days before his guilty plea. His betrayal of public trust now carries a heavy price: he faces up to 20 years in federal prison. Sentencing is scheduled for January 8, 2021.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney A. Saleem. Authorities emphasize that no image of child exploitation is harmless, and this case—uncovered through digital vigilance—exposes the depravity hidden behind a badge. Collins’ fall from lawman to felon underscores the federal government’s commitment to holding predators accountable, no matter their position.
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Key Facts
- State: Texas
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Sex Crimes
- Source: Official Source ↗
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