Whitesville Man Sentenced to More Than 12 Years in Federal Prison for Second Child Pornography Offense and Firearm Charge

CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Whitesville man was sentenced to federal prison for his second child pornography offense and possessing a firearm despite being a convicted felon, announced United States Attorney Mike Stuart. Daniel Runion was sentenced to 12 and a half years in prison for possession of child pornography and being a felon in possession of a firearm. The court also ordered Runion to pay $10,000 to an identified child victim in the child pornography case. Runion also was placed on 20 years of supervised release because he committed these new offenses while on supervised release stemming from a 2012 conviction of receipt of child pornography.

“Some people are just lifetime criminals. This case is sickening. Even after serving time, and while on supervised release, Mr. Runion continued in his terrible ways,” said United States Attorney Mike Stuart. “Cases like this are painful, but my office prosecutes those who exploit children.”

Runion previously admitted that he possessed child pornography on his smartphone while in Marmet. The image showed a minor female performing oral sex on an adult male. In connection with that activity, Runion also admitted that he sent a video of child pornography over Facebook to another user of the social media website.  

Runion also previously admitted that despite being a convicted felon, he possessed a Smith and Wesson .38 caliber Special Airweight Revolver, which he kept in his Whitesville residence. Runion committed both new offenses within a year of being released from prison after serving a 97-month sentence and was serving a 15-year term of supervised release.

The West Virginia State Police and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) conducted the investigation. Senior United States District Judge John T. Copenhaver, Jr. imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Kristin F. Scott handled the prosecution.

This case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative of the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.