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Ex- Rock Hill Police Officer on Trial in Federal Court for Child Sexual Abuse Material Charges

By James Seidel | CC News Network | May 6, 2025 | Broken Badges Series

COLUMBIA, S.C. — A former Rock Hill police officer and school resource officer is on trial this week in Columbia federal court, facing 18 federal charges related to the distribution and receipt of child sexual abuse material (CSAM), in a case that has stunned the South Carolina law enforcement community.

Daniel Paul Shealy, 35, who served with the Rock Hill Police Department from 2011 until his termination in 2023, is charged with 12 counts of distribution, six counts of receipt, and one count of attempted receipt of CSAM, according to a superseding indictment filed in federal court.

Screenshot 2025 05 07 154524 — Daniel Shealy, a former Rock Hill Police officer, was fired for child pornography allegations. Photo: York County Sheriff’s Office

At trial on May 5, Shealy claimed the child sexual abuse videos were stored on his device by accident, stating he only intended to upload intimate photos of himself and his then-wife to a social media account. Federal prosecutors allege otherwise, pointing to activity on a platform where Shealy allegedly used the username “orgasmd0nor” to share and collect illicit material.

The indictment accuses Shealy of distributing 13 videos and receiving six others between June 2 and September 17, 2023. The files ranged in length from five seconds to nearly two minutes and included exploitative material involving minors. These activities allegedly took place while Shealy was employed as both a school resource officer and a detective, with some content uploaded using a cellphone later recovered from his department-issued patrol vehicle.

Shealy initially waived his right to bond and has remained in federal custody since his indictment in December 2023. If convicted, each charge carries a mandatory minimum of five years and a maximum of 20 years in federal prison, in addition to mandatory sex offender registration and lifetime federal supervision.

According to the Rock Hill Police Department, Shealy had been a patrol officer until 2017, when he became a school resource officer at South Pointe High School. In June 2023, he was reassigned to the department’s criminal investigations division, where he remained until his termination. Police say there is no indication the alleged criminal activity occurred while Shealy was on duty.

The case is being prosecuted under the Project Safe Childhood initiative, a nationwide program led by the U.S. Department of Justice aimed at combating the online exploitation of children.

As with all criminal cases, Shealy is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.