PAULDING COUNTY, Ga. — Deputies have charged a Paulding County man with 30 counts of sexual exploitation of children following an investigation into child sexual abuse material.
The charges stem from an initial tip received in January from the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children and Internet Crimes Against Children.
Detectives executed a search warrant at Daniel Esquivel’s home on April 1 and recovered more than 1,400 videos and photos depicting child sexual abuse.
The investigation began after the Sheriff’s Office received a tip in January involving 117 files suspected of containing child sexual abuse material.
Detectives spent months reviewing these files, leading to the identification of Esquivel.
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His information was confirmed through email, phone number, and IP address.
Detectives then met with their Technical Services Unit analyst, who confirmed a total of 10 tips related to the case.
After reviewing the initial 117 files, investigators discovered 193 clips of different child sexual abuse material contained in videos and photos. This discovery deepened the investigation into Esquivel’s activities.
During the execution of the search warrant at Esquivel’s house, multiple electronic devices were collected.
Esquivel was interviewed at the Sheriff’s Office, where he waived his Miranda rights and admitted to possessing child sexual abuse material.
He also indicated that potentially 300 additional videos were still in his possession.
The electronic items seized, combined with the material from the original tip, revealed more than 1,400 videos and photos, along with more than 300 animated photos depicting childlike people.
The Paulding County Sheriff’s Office acknowledged the emotional toll such cases take on its detectives and staff.
“Their dedication, commitment, and professionalism do not go unnoticed. Thank you for going above and beyond, especially when it comes to protecting our children,” Paulding County Sheriff Ashley Henson said in a post on Facebook.
The Sheriff’s Office said the investigation is still ongoing to determine whether the material was shared with others.
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