WICHITA, KAN. – A registered sex offender who pleaded guilty to committing child sexual exploitation crimes while still on supervised release in a previous case was sentenced today to 50 years in federal prison, U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister said.

Daniel Eric Merida, 36, El Dorado, Kan., pleaded guilty to one count of producing child pornography, one count of distributing child pornography, one count of transporting child pornography, two counts of possessing child pornography, and one count of sending obscene material to a minor.

In his plea, Merida admitted using the internet to contact a minor beginning in 2012 when she was 12 years old. He used the internet to sexually exploit the victim, sending her obscene material as well as child pornography. During a search in March 2018, he was found in possession of additional child pornography. After his arrest in November 2018, a second search revealed the defendant had used online storage to transport more child pornography, and he was in possession of more child pornography on his phone.

McAllister commended Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Wichita Police Department, the Kansas Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, the Elizabeth Township Police Department and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Hart for their work on the case.

WICHITA, KAN. – A man from El Dorado was indicted Wednesday on charges that even though he already was a registered sex offender he produced and distributed child pornography, U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister said.

Daniel Eric Merida, 35, El Dorado, Kan., was charged in a superseding indictment with one count of producing child pornography, two counts of committing crimes against minors while registered as a sex offender, two counts of distributing child pornography, one count of possessing child pornography, one count of sending obscene material to a minor and one count of transporting child pornography. The crimes are alleged to have occurred at various times from 2014 to 2018 in Butler County, Kan.

Upon conviction, the crimes carry the following penalties:

          Producing child pornography: Not less than 25 years and not more than 50 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000.

          Felonies involving minors while a registered sex offender: A term of 10 years, consecutive to sentences on other counts.

          Distributing child pornography: Not less than five years and not more than 20 years and a fine up to $250,000.

          Possessing child pornography: Not less than five years and not more than 20 years and a fine up to $250,000.

          Sending obscene material to a minor: Up to 10 years and a fine up to $250,000.

          Transporting child pornography: Not less than five years and not more than 20 years and a fine up to $250,000.

 

Homeland Security Investigations investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Hart is prosecuting.

 

OTHER INDICTMENTS

 

Jeremy Vos, 21, Wichita, Kan., is charged with one count of bank robbery. The indictment alleges that on July 23, 2019, the defendant robbed the Intrust Bank at 5500 E. Harry in Wichita.

 If convicted, he faces up to 20 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000. AUSA Ryan McCarty is prosecuting. The FBI investigated.

 

Linh Simmons, 41, Grapevine, Texas, is charged with seven counts of making false representations in order to obtain federal contracts set aside for women-owned small businesses and 14 counts of wire fraud.

 If convicted, she faces up to 10 years in federal prison and a fine up to $500,000, and up to 20 years and a fine up to $250,000. The Defense Criminal Investigative Service investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron Smith is prosecuting.

John Carl McMillan, 35, Garden City, Kan., is charged with one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. The crime is alleged to have occurred May 21, 2019, in Finney County, Kan.

If convicted, he faces a penalty of not less than five years and not more than 40 years and a fine up to $2 million. The Finney County Sheriff’s Office investigated. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine Andrusak is prosecuting.

Teresa Grant, 38, Arkansas City, Kan., is charged with one count of unlawfully receiving Social Security survivor’s benefits and two counts of making false statements to the Social Security Administration. The crimes are alleged to have occurred at various times from 2016 to 2019 in Sedgwick County, Kan.

If convicted, she faces up to 10 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000 on the charge of unlawfully receiving benefits, and up to five years and fine up to $250,000 on each of the other two counts. The Social Security Administration investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron Smith investigated.

Nelson Noel Vasquez-Ponca, 34, Garden City, Kan., is charged with one count of document fraud, one count of aggravated identity theft and two counts of identity theft. The crimes are alleged to have occurred in 2017 and 2018 in Finney County, Kan.

If convicted, he faces up to 10 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000 on the document fraud count, a mandatory two years (consecutive) and a fine up to $250,000 on the aggravated identity theft and up to 15 years and a fine up to $250,000 on each identity theft count. The Kansas Department of Revenue investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron Smith is prosecuting.

 

 In all cases, defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. The indictments merely contain allegations of criminal conduct.