Investigation by Massachusetts and Maryland Law Enforcement Leads to Charge Against Child Sex Offender
BOSTON, May 30, 2020— A month-long, multi-state investigation has culminated in child enticement charges against a Level-3 sex offender, Suffolk County District Attorney Rachael Rollins announced.
As a result of an investigation led by the Frederick County Sheriff’s Office Internet Crimes Against Children Unit in Frederick, Maryland, in collaboration with the Boston Police Department Internet Crimes Against Children Unit and Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office Human Trafficking and Exploitation Unit, DANIEL LOUIS O’BRIEN, 42, has been charged with enticement of a child under 16. He was taken into custody Thursday by Boston Police following his release from a Boston medical facility.
“This case exemplifies what law enforcement can accomplish when we break down information silos and work across disciplines and jurisdictions. I’m grateful to the Internet Crimes Against Children tasks forces within the Boston Police Department and the Frederick County Sheriff’s Office, as well as my Office’s Human Trafficking and Exploitation Unit. Without their dedicated work protecting our vulnerable young people, this arrest would not be possible,” District Attorney Rollins said. “This individual has a history of preying on children online. Young children are especially vulnerable to online risks and exploitation as their education and social circles have moved online amid the ongoing public health crisis. The enhanced risks they face make the work we do on behalf of young victims all the more important.”
During a telephonic arraignment in the Central Division of Boston Municipal Court, Judge Robert McKenna set $50,000 cash bail and ordered O’Brien to submit to GPS monitoring and stay away from and have no contact with children in the event he posts bail. At the request of Assistant District Attorney Nicole Poirier of the District Attorney’s Child Protection Unit, Judge McKenna revoked O’Brien’s open bail on a case out of the same court charging failure to register as a sex offender.
O’Brien, who is homeless, is accused of having a series of sexually explicit online chats with an individual he believed to be a 13-year-old female, during which he attempted to entice her to run away from her Maryland home with him. The individual on the other end of the chats, however, was in fact a criminal investigator from the Frederick County Sheriff’s Department.
The online communications began during April 2020 and continued through the month of May, during which time O’Brien remained in a Boston medical facility. Upon his release yesterday morning, he was taken into custody by Boston Police.
O’Brien is additionally charged with failure to register as a sex offender. He is classified as a Level 3 sex offender based on his 2010 conviction out of Middlesex County for attempt to kidnap a child and enticement of a child under 16 for similar offenses against a then 12-year-old child. In that case, O’Brien and the victim made plans to run away together. As part of their plan, O’Brien traveled from where he lived at the time in Virginia to Massachusetts, where he was placed under arrest.
As children and adults alike move much of their communication and social lives online as a result of social distancing measures, the risks children face online have increased. To help kids, caregivers and professionals ensure online safety, District Attorney Rollins’ office has presented STOP BLOCK and TALK internet safety training to schools, youth organizations, and parent groups across Suffolk County. The program teaches young people to stay safe online by stopping any communication that makes them feel unsafe or uncomfortable, blocking and reporting the individual, and talking to a trusted adult. More information on the program is available here.
With children being homeschooled and having limited contact with mandated reporters and other adults, the number of child abuse cases has dropped significantly. During this same time period, however, reports of online crimes against children child exploitation have increased dramatically.
“Children are among the most vulnerable members of our community. My Office is here to support children and their families by providing them with the information they need to stay safe and by ensuring that anyone who attempts to harm or exploit a child in Suffolk County will be held accountable,” District Attorney Rollins said. “We are here to protect all members of our communities and to ensure that those who have been the victim of a crime have access to the services and resources they may need.”
While the victims and witnesses of any crime should call 911 in an emergency, there are additional resources available to report suspected crimes against children. In Suffolk County, survivors of child abuse and exploitation and their non-offending caretakers can receive comprehensive services at the Children’s Advocacy Center of Suffolk County. The CAC can be reached at 617-779-2146. If you suspect that a child has been the victim of online exploitation, contact the national CyberTipline at 1-800-843-5678 or report it here. Anyone who believes that a child in Massachusetts may be the victim of abuse can call the DCF Child at Risk Hotline at 1-800-792-5200.
O’Brien is represented by Steven Topazio. He returns to court June 24, 2020.
All defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Suffolk County District Attorney Rachael Rollins’ office serves the communities of Boston, Chelsea, Revere, and Winthrop, Mass. The office handles over 25,000 cases a year. More than 160 attorneys in the office practice in nine district and municipal courts, Suffolk Superior Court, the Massachusetts Appeals Court, the Supreme Judicial Court, and the Boston Juvenile Courts. The office employs some 300 people and offers a wide range of services and programs to serve anyone who comes in contact with the criminal justice system. This office is committed to educating the public about the services we provide, our commitment to crime prevention, and our dedication to keeping the residents of Suffolk County safe.