Trump pardons accused child pornographer in North Carolina

Mint Hill man is just one of several men that Trump pardoned who have been accused or convicted of sexual abuse.

Just a day after taking office, Donald Trump pardoned David Paul Daniel, 37, of Mint Hill. Daniel is accused of manufacturing and possessing child pornography. According to accusations, Dale had sexual relations with two minors and took explicit photos of them. The photos were found on his phone after Daniel was arrested for assaulting Capitol police officers during the January 6 assault on Washington.

According to Law and Crime News and WBTV, a victim accused Daniel of sexually assaulting her multiple times between 2015 and 2019. She also said that Daniel photographed her naked and forced her to take showers with him. Daniel is also being investigated for statutory rape in Forsyth County. That victim’s mother says Daniel was sexually active with her minor daughter in the summer of 2022.

Daniel denies that he sexually assaulted or raped either victim. He pled guilty on January 8 to felony assaulting, impeding, and resisting officers. Trump defended his pardon by saying, “Murderers get no time.”

Daniel is not the only sex abuser Trump pardoned. Sean McHugh of Auburn, California served time for statutory rape. He, too, was pardoned in one of Trump’s first action of his second term. He was also convicted of using bear spray on the Capitol police.

Trump also pardoned Edward Eugene Hemenway II. In 2006, Hemenway held a woman hostage in a hotel room and sexually assaulted her. He pled guilty to criminal confinement and sexual battery, serving three years in prison.

Trump himself was found liable for sex abuse by a jury of his peers. He has been accused of sexual misconduct by numerous women. He also admitted to paying hush money for an affair with a porn star while his third wife was home with their new-born son.