Gainesville man sentenced to over 12 years in federal prison for possession of child pornography

Staff report

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Daniel Reginald Hanna, II, 38, has been sentenced to twelve and a half years in federal prison on charges related to receipt and possession of child pornography. John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida, announced the charges.

U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “The possession and distribution of child sexual abuse material are heinous crimes that have the effect of re-victimizing the innocent children who were sexually exploited every time the horrific images and videos of their abuse are shared. This sentence reflects the gravity of these crimes, and my office will continue to aggressively prosecute predators like this defendant to ensure we achieve justice for the victims of child sexual abuse and, ultimately, prevent future victimization from occurring.”

Original arrest

Warning: this article includes disturbing content about sexual crimes against young children.

On May 23, 2024, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children received a CyberTip about child sexual abuse material (CSAM) on a Dropbox account. The tip included 163 videos uploaded by an account in 2014-15; the account allegedly attempted to share one of the videos on May 23, 2024.

A Gainesville Police Department investigation identified Hanna as the owner of the account, and a search warrant was executed at Hanna’s residence on March 13, 2025. The search reportedly produced “numerous” electronic devices and a child-like sex doll with several pairs of children’s underwear. Child sexual abuse material (CSAM) was reportedly found on at least two devices, including over 2,500 CSAM videos on one device, some of which included sex toys and/or BDSM/violent content against a child.

12.5-year prison sentence will be followed by 12 years of probation

Following his release from prison, Hanna will be on supervised release for 12 years and is required to register as a sex offender.

“Today’s sentencing sends a clear message that crimes involving the exploitation of children will be met with unwavering accountability,” said Chief Nelson Moya, Gainesville Police Department. “I want to commend the investigators, prosecutors, and partnering agencies whose dedication and persistence ensured that this individual was brought to justice. Protecting children remains one of our highest priorities. We will continue to use every resource available to identify offenders, support victims, and prevent these crimes from occurring.”

The case involved a joint investigation by the Gainesville Police Department’s Internet Crimes Against Children Unit and Homeland Security Investigations. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Adam Hapner.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice and led by the U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Divisions Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), it marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.