Former Knoxville Police Officer Pleads Guilty to Child Pornography Charges
Knoxville, Tennessee: In a recent turn of events, a former Knoxville police officer pleaded guilty to federal child pornography charges. The officer, Dan Roark, accepted guilt for one count of conspiracy to sexually exploit a child and one count of receipt of child pornography.
Details of the Case
An anonymous tip led to the discovery of explicit text messages between Roark and a juvenile that trace back to 2019. According to the plea agreement, Roark demanded child abuse material from the victim in August of that year. The victim’s mother was also indicated in the agreement as a conspirator in creating the abusive content.
Consequences and Sentencing
The prosecution has agreed to limit its sentence request for Roark to a maximum of 25 years, as detailed in the plea agreement. Roark also faces a minimum imprisonment term of 15 years, fines up to $250,000, and possible supervised release after serving his sentence. There will also be expectations for him to pay assessments, restitution, and mandatory restitution.
Response from the Knoxville Police Department
Roark’s arrest prompted a response from the Knoxville Police Chief. Labeled as “deeply disturbing and abhorrent,” the allegations against Roark led to his dismissal from the department. The former officer had been a part of the force since 2007, but was terminated a week after his arrest following an internal investigation.
