The allegations against Daniel Joseph Maudlin, 58, of Taylor started with a tip that dates back to 2018, according to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in Detroit. Maudlin is now charged with distribution and possession of child sexually abusive material, according to a complaint filed July 22, 2026.
Maudlin, at one point, is accused of saying: “one day it would be f***ing hot to be f****** exposed, get f***** life in prison for this s***,” as well as “I’m a f****** proud f****** pedophile.”
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A lead that started in 2018
An FBI Special Agent working out of Detroit said the first major lead came in 2018, when FBI agents in New York searched a home there tied to distribution of child pornography. While reviewing that person’s cellphone, agents said they found a text conversation with a person saved as “Daniel,” the feds said.
In that conversation, the New York person and “Daniel” allegedly discussed child sexually abusive material, and “Daniel” allegedly sent a video “depicting Daniel Maudlin smoking an unknown substance” while pleasuring himself and “watching child pornography on a laptop.”
Maudlin allegedly said his name and a home address in Taylor and held up his driver’s license.
A lead was sent to FBI Detroit, but “ultimately, no enforcement action was taken,” the complaint said. Local 4 reached out to FBI Detroit for comment and we are waiting to hear back.
‘Danny’ and a graphic video
Now, fast-forward to November 2025. According to the complaint, FBI agents in Detroit searched a home as part of a child pornography distribution investigation involving a different person -- identified as “Subject 1.”
On Subject 1’s phone, agents said they found an internet messaging conversation with the display name “Danny.”
In one conversation from October 2018, “Danny” allegedly sent Subject 1 a video that investigators said showed Maudlin pleasuring himself while playing two videos of child sexually abusive material on a laptop.
The feds said the man in the video, later identified as Maudlin, is nude except for a ballcap and glasses, lying on a bed with a laptop between his legs, and smoking from a glass pipe.
Maudlin, allegedly while smoking an unknown substance from the pipe, is pleasuring himself during the whole video. During the video, the feds said, he also played two separate videos of a 10-year-old boy allegedly having sex with an adult man, and one depicting an approximately 10-year-old girl having sex with an adult man. Also, during the video, the feds said Maudlin talked to the camera and identified himself by name and address several times.
The complaint also included an alleged partial transcript of that video and Maudlin speaking on camera. The FBI said Maudlin repeatedly identified himself. Some of the statements quoted in the complaint include:
“I’m f****** addicted to f****** porn”
(Maudlin allegedly held up his Michigan driver’s license to the camera)
“It’s Daniel Maudlin, I live at [states address in Taylor].”
“Oh f*** f*** yeah I’m a f****** porn addict.”
“This isn’t the only f****** porn I watch, f****** check this sh*t out.”
(Maudlin allegedly began playing a video on his laptop depicting a 10-year-old boy engaging in sex with an adult male)
“F****** look at this, look at that. It’s a f****** little boy. Little boys being f****** (explicit) f*** yeah. I watch f****** child f****** pornography. Oh god yeah. Yeah, f****** Daniel Maudlin’s a f****** child f****** pedo.”
“If I wouldn’t be able to… not watch this s***, I’d f****** tell everyone I was a f****** proud pedophile. Look at that, look at those little f****** boy (explicit). I have so much f****** child porn in my phone, f******, in my laptop. Yeah one day it would be f****** hot to be f****** exposed, get f****** life in prison for this s***. F*** yeah bro.”
(Maudlin allegedly began playing a video on his laptop depicting a 10-year-old girl engaging in sex with an adult male)
“Oh f*** my name is Daniel f****** Maudlin, I’m a f****** proud f****** pedophile.”
A 2026 tip from local police
In June 2026, the FBI said they received information from Canton Police after officers interviewed a person -- identified as “Subject 2,” who had been arrested for criminal sexual conduct and wanted to provide information to help detectives.
Subject 2 allegedly told investigators he had known someone named “Danny” -- from “getting high” and using methamphetamine -- for about a year, later giving police Maudlin’s phone number.
Subject 2 allegedly told investigators that within the last year he went to Maudlin’s apartment in Ann Arbor, where Maudlin began playing a child sexually abusive video on his television. Subject 2 said he left after seeing it.
The complaint also said another time, during a phone call, Maudlin told Subject 2 “how good he thought it would feel to have sex with a child.” The feds said they showed Subject 2 a photo of Maudlin, and Subject 2 confirmed it was the same “Danny.”
After that, the feds said Maudlin allegedly moved back to his mother’s home in Taylor.
Search warrants and what agents said they found
In July 2026, two search warrants were authorized -- one for location data for Maudlin’s phone, and the other for his home.
On July 22, 2026, the feds said a review of Maudlin’s cellphone revealed “multiple conversations” with various individuals “which were relevant.”
In one conversation with an unidentified person the complaint referred to as “Subject 3,” Maudlin allegedly shared a video of himself pleasuring himself to child sexually abusive material on July 1, 2026. Before sending it, the feds said Maudlin wrote, “Me 2 watching cp” and “can I expose myself watching it more.”
The video allegedly depicted two boys, approximately 8 years old, in sexual acts. Maudlin, according to the feds, was wearing women’s underwear, prosthetic breasts, and a red hat. During the video, Maudlin allegedly said: “Look at that, sexy little boys playing with their f**king (explicit). F****** seven eight year old boys oh f*** yeah.”
In another chat on the same app, dated June 18, 2026, the complaint said Maudlin exchanged messages with a different person, cited as “Subject 4, and allegedly shared an image of himself watching child sexually abusive material.
A shared image allegedly depicted Maudlin wearing women’s underwear from the waist down with a tablet computer in the background watching a 17-year-old boy sexually assaulting a 16-month-old child. Along with the image, Maudlin included the message “I’m watching cp,” the FBI said.
While a search warrant was being executed, the feds said they interviewed Maudlin. He allegedly identified the phone that contained the material as his and provided the passcode to federal authorities.
Local 4 reached out to the FBI for comment, specifically on why the investigation took years, and received the following statement:
FBI investigations are based on the facts and evidence available at the time and may evolve as new information is developed or obtained. We do not comment on specific investigative decisions or techniques.
Recently obtained information enabled FBI Detroit to advance this investigation, which resulted in an arrest today. The matter will now proceed through the federal judicial process, and we would refer questions regarding the criminal complaint and prosecution to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Michigan.
FBI Detroit Field Office