Former Minnesota High School Teacher Sentenced For Child Porn

Minneapolis, MN (KROC-AM News) - A former southern Minnesota high school teacher has been sent to federal prison for distributing child pornography.

According to court documents, 54-year-old Daniel John Janke of Mankato was arrested and charged in connection with an FBI undercover investigation of a chat room on the Kik social media app. He was accused of communicating with an undercover law enforcement agent online in October 2023.

The US Attorney's Office for Minnesota says the exchange of messages between Janke and the law officer included multiple child sexual abuse material images and a video. A later forensic examination of the social media account and electronic devices in Janke's possession confirmed that he collected and distributed sexually explicit images of young children.

“It’s hard to imagine someone working with children and then making the choice to exploit them on the internet,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Lisa D. Kirkpatrick. “Teachers, coaches, daycare workers—it doesn’t matter who you are—my office will continue to prosecute predators in positions of trust to the fullest extent of the law.”

Janke earlier entered a guilty plea to a federal charge of distribution of child sexual abuse material.

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In addition to his six year prison sentence, Janke will be on supervised release for five years following the completion of the prison term. He has also been ordered to pay $18,000 in special assessments to benefit children directly victimized by child pornography offenders.

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