Arkansas man accused of exploiting Middle TN child he met on Snapchat

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — An Arkansas man has been indicted on federal child exploitation charges after allegedly traveling to Middle Tennessee to meet up with a middle schooler who he began interacting with on Snapchat.

Daniel Kelly, 32, was indicted by a federal grand jury in the Middle District of Tennessee on Wednesday, July 17, the U.S. Attorney’s Office announced . Officials took Kelly into custody on July 23 in his hometown of Jonesboro, Arkansas.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) began investigating in the spring after receiving reports that an adult man was exchanging messages with a child on Snapchat. Through their investigation, agents said they were able to link the Snapchat handle to Kelly.

In addition to chatting over social media, Kelly and the young girl reportedly sent each other several images — one of which officials said included a copy of the minor child’s middle school calendar.

In October 2023, investigators said Kelly traveled from Jonesboro to Middle Tennessee on two occasions. Both reportedly coincided with the minor’s Fall Break. During those trips, authorities said Kelly had sexual intercourse with the child.

He allegedly recorded at least one of the encounters on his phone and later sent a copy to the minor over the internet.

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The case is being investigated by the FBI, the Memphis Field Office, and the Nashville Resident Agency. There was also assistance from the FBI Little Rock Field Office, Jonesboro Resident Agency.

If convicted, Kelly faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in federal prison. The U.S. Attorney’s Office noted that an indictment is “merely an allegation” and that every defendant is “presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.”

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