CLEVELAND — 36-year-old Daniel Carlson, a former teacher at Mayfield Middle School and high school track coach, learned his fate at sentencing Tuesday after pleading guilty to multiple sex-related crimes.
Judge Joan Synenberg ordered Carlson to serve 10-13.5 years behind bars.
“I’m sure this is difficult for your family,” Judge Synenberg said after handing down the punishment. “I know you have people who care about you. This is the price you’ve got to pay for what you did to these kids.”
Prior to sentencing, Carlson also offered an apology.
“I’m sorry for taking advantage of you," Carlson said. "I’m sorry for treating you as an object. … I’m sorry for the shame and embarrassment.”
It was between September of 2019 and June of 2021 that Carlson “used pseudo usernames on social media applications to engage in sexually explicit chats and solicit juvenile victims for sexual materials including photos and videos,” according to the Cuyahoga County Prosecutor’s office. “Some of the victims were Carlson’s former students or athletes.”
The investigation by the Mayfield Heights Police Departments and Ohio Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force “revealed multiple incidents involving eight victims ranging from 14 to 17 years old.”
The Cuyahoga County Prosecutor’s Office says Carlson has pleaded guilty to the following charges:
- Two Counts of Pandering Sexually-Oriented Matter Involving a Minor
- Two Counts of Compelling Prostitution
- Two Counts of Extortion
- Three Counts of Attempted Illegal Use of Minor In Nudity-Oriented Material or Performance
- Three Counts of Importuning
- One Count of Attempted of Pandering Sexually-Oriented Matter Involving a Minor
- One Count of Tampering With Evidence
Carlson was arrested back in June 2021.
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Editor's note: Video in the player above was originally published in an unrelated article on Feb. 23, 2022.
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