HILLSBORO, Ore- On November 30, 2023, Judge Eric Butterfield found Daniel H Rock, age 36, guilty of Using a Child in Display of Sexually Explicit Conduct and two counts of Luring a Minor. Deputy District Attorney Chris Lewman prosecuted the case against the defendant.
Mr. Rock was living in New York and was working as a doctor when he began messaging the teenage victim via an online chat group. The defendant convinced the victim to provide him with her cell phone number so they could communicate directly. He then began pressuring the victim to send him nude photos of herself, which she did on multiple occasions. He also discussed meeting her in person and described the sexual acts he wanted to engage in with her.
In September of 2019, the victim’s mother contacted the Tualatin Police Department. She told investigators that she found the messages between her daughter and the defendant after she connected her daughter’s phone to her computer. The mother found messages in which the victim clearly stated her age, and in one case, shared her current location which was her high school. She also found messages from the defendant urging the victim to delete their correspondence and to keep her phone locked. The mother told police that she called the defendant and confronted him. He asked her not to report his actions and said he would lose his family if they found out.
Investigators with the Washington County Digital Forensics Laboratory went through the victim’s device. They found more than 7,000 exchanges between the girl and the defendant spanning a one-month timeframe. They included photos, videos, and phone calls.
The Washington County District Attorney’s Office wishes to commend the victim’s mother for her efforts in protecting her daughter and reporting the defendant to law enforcement. This case serves as a reminder to parents about the dangers their children face online. Senior Deputy District Attorney Andy Pulver, who leads our Child Abuse Team, formulated this presentation to educate parents about these dangers.
This office also acknowledges the Tualatin Police Department and the Washington County Digital Forensics Laboratory for their work on this case. A sentencing hearing is scheduled for December 29, 2023.
