A man previously pardoned for his role in the Jan. 6 Capitol riot is now facing a separate federal plea deal involving serious child exploitation charges, according to court documents.
David Daniel has reportedly reached an agreement with federal prosecutors in United States after being charged in North Carolina with sexual exploitation of a minor and possession of child sexual abuse material.
Prosecutors allege the conduct spans multiple years. Court filings claim Daniel coerced a child under 12 in 2015–2016 into producing explicit material, which he allegedly recorded and stored on digital devices. A second allegation involves a separate minor in 2021, who prosecutors say was instructed to create and send explicit images through a messaging app.
Authorities say the material was discovered during a 2023 federal investigation, around the same period Daniel was arrested in connection with the Capitol riot. He was later among approximately 1,500 individuals pardoned in 2025 by President Donald Trump related to the Jan. 6 events.
However, a judge ruled that the pardon did not extend to the separate child exploitation case, allowing the federal prosecution to proceed independently.
Daniel’s legal team has signed off on a plea agreement, though sentencing has not yet been scheduled.
The case highlights the legal separation between unrelated criminal charges, even when they involve individuals connected to high-profile political events.