Niagara Falls Man Pleads Guilty to Child Porn Distribution

Daniel Krull, 44, of Niagara Falls, NY, has admitted to distributing child pornography over Facebook — just months after a prior conviction for sexually exploiting minors. Krull pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. Vilardo to one count of distribution of child pornography, a charge that carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years and up to 40 years behind bars, plus a $250,000 fine.

According to Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron J. Mango, Krull used the Facebook profile “Danny Blaze” to push 11 images of child pornography through a private Facebook group between November 6 and November 8, 2015. The illicit activity triggered an internal response from Facebook, which shut down the group and filed a CyberTipline report with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children on February 28, 2016 — flagging Krull’s digital trail.

That alert set off a federal probe. On August 23, 2016, Niagara County Probation Department officers seized Krull’s cell phone. Forensic analysis uncovered a digital archive of depravity: approximately 2,026 images and 20 videos depicting minors in sexually explicit conduct. Among the material were images of prepubescent children — some under 12 — and content involving violence.

The horror doesn’t stop at digital crimes. Investigators revealed Krull had engaged in sexual contact with a 10-year-old girl on approximately five separate occasions. This pattern of predatory behavior traces back years: in March 2007, Krull was convicted in New York state court for possessing a sexual performance by a child under 16 — a red flag ignored too long.

The case was the result of a joint investigation by Special Agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Adam S. Cohen, and officers from the Niagara County Probation Department. Digital forensics and persistent follow-up turned a flagged Facebook post into a full-scale prosecution.

Krull now awaits sentencing. His day in court is set for March 23, 2017, at 10:00 a.m. before Judge Vilardo. With a mandatory minimum of 15 years on the table, his crimes — both online and in the real world — could bury him for a generation.

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