A New Hope man has pleaded guilty to charges of cyberstalking, extortion, and producing child pornography involving two minor victims. The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona and FBI Special Agent in Charge Carlton L. Peeples.
Donald Wayne Carmody, aged 30, appeared before U.S. District Judge Liles C. Burke where he admitted to the charges against him. He faced accusations of using anonymous text messages to threaten a woman with the release of her pictures online unless she sent him intimate photographs. Additionally, he accessed her social media accounts without permission.
During the investigation following his arrest for cyberstalking and extortion, authorities found a USB drive containing images of child pornography linked to two victims under twelve years old. The FBI’s Video Forensic Analysis Unit compared images from the drive with photos of Carmody’s hands taken during their investigation, finding similarities that identified him as the individual involved.
Carmody agreed to a plea deal stipulating a 40-year prison sentence for these offenses. If this sentence is rejected by the court, either party may withdraw from the agreement.
The penalties for these crimes are significant: up to five years imprisonment for cyberstalking, two years for extortion, and 30 years for production of child pornography. Each offense also carries a potential fine of $250,000.
The case was investigated by the FBI with assistance from the Madison County Sheriff’s Office and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney John M. Hundscheid.
In response to such cases, the U.S. Attorney’s Office has partnered with the National Children’s Advocacy Center (NCAC) to produce an educational digital series aimed at parents and caretakers on preventing sextortion among minors. These resources are available online through NCAC's YouTube channel.
For those suspecting sexual exploitation of children or seeking further information about related issues such as Project Safe Childhood or cybercrime prevention resources, contact information is provided for relevant agencies including law enforcement and specialized hotlines.
Project Safe Childhood is an initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice focused on combating child sexual exploitation through coordinated efforts across various levels of government and community organizations.