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Pilot's double life shocked friends, coworkers
From: Navy Times
Lt. Daniel Harris was an all-American boy, the captain of his high school football and lacrosse teams. So it came as no surprise when this son of a retired naval aviator and grandson of a two-star admiral was accepted into the Naval Academy in 2001. He graduated at the top of flight training classes on his way to becoming a fighter pilot. In 2011, he fulfilled a lifelong dream and graduated from Top Gun (he even named the family dog "Maverick"). By 2014, Harris was well on his way to a stellar career, with glowing fitness reports and a devoted wife and two children by his side.
He never had a brush with the law — not even a parking ticket.
But Harris harbored a dark secret. For years, he had posed online as a teenager to convince young teen girls to send him suggestive pictures. He used those photos to blackmail the girls; demanding they send sexually graphic images and videos or else he would post the initial images online or send them to family and friends.
Investigators found more than 800 sexually explicit images and videos of girls on Harris' computer. Of the more than 275 screen names with which Harris had Skype conversations, more than 45 were girls who made it clear they were underage. Prosecutors called Harris "the victimizer and manipulator of hundreds of girls," and said his exploits likely started as early as 2008, but he bought a new computer in 2011 so they had no way to prove the extent of his activities.
The victims weren't the only ones fooled. Harris received high marks in his last two fitness reports, obtained by Navy Times. Less than two months before Harris' November 2013 arrest, the reviewing officer said the strike fighter tactics instructor "has earned my strongest recommendation for promotion, selection for [Strike Fighter Squadron] Department Head and VFA Command. PROMOTE AND SELECT NOW!"
With that same vigor, dozens of friends and family members came to Harris' defense. In character letters and courtroom testimony they expressed shock at the charges leveled against a man repeatedly described as arole model with sterling integrity and character; a family man who was selfless and compassionate, caring and trustworthy.
But the tune changed after the prosecution presented a mountain of evidence and the jury found him guilty on 29 counts of production, receipt, transportation, and possession of child pornography, and two counts of obstruction of justice. Harris was sentenced to 50 years on Monday.
Harris was a dream kid, "up until the verdict was reached," according his father, retired Cmdr. Steve Harris, who testified at his son's July 13 sentencing. Similar sentiment was presented in taped telephone calls and post-verdict letters in which former supporters expressed everything from regret to resentment. They lashed out at Harris, and the repeated deceptions he used in a fruitless attempt to evade conviction. An aunt told him to take responsibility for his actions and apologize. His grandmother said he dishonored the Navy and "should have been man enough to admit it." The most scathing letter came from Harris' wife, Erin, who was not at the sentencing. She had voiced strong support when her husband was arrested, and did not want those words to benefit him during sentencing. She said her initial comments came from a hopeful heart that had only a fraction of information.
"My observations were not only wrong, but couldn't be further from the truth," said Erin, who has filed for divorce. "In his world, only he matters."
In rendering his sentence, U.S. District Court Judge Mark Davis noted the "stark contrast" between the picturesque naval aviator and the convicted felon who stood shackled before him. He said Harris had "sadistically tormented," "manipulated," and "blackmailed" nine victims who ranged in age from 12 to 17.
"You essentially raped them," Davis said. "In some ways what you did was worse because you kept coming back to them."
The judge denounced Harris for showing no emotion throughout the trial and sentencing, save for one moment when a teenage victim forgave him. Harris' gaze remained fixed to the floor as victims and families describedtheir victimization. Outgoing teens said they'd withdrawn in depression; some were hospitalized, and others became suicidal.
"He is a sick man who should be ashamed of his actions, but has shown otherwise," victim "H.K." said at Harris' sentencing.
Naval aviators from Harris' command who were present at sentencing often sat with heads down. "This is embarrassing," one whispered as prosecutors revisited facts during closing arguments. But there was one moment the uniformed officers nodded in agreement: Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Yusi declared that Harris' character was a façade, but true bravery and integrity could be seen in the young girls who had come forward to testify.
The judge said he found it "very troubling" that Harris never admitted any of his activity despite the voluminous evidence against him. The fighter pilot instead blamed other people, and even created a fake scapegoat named "John Anderson" to avoid prosecution. Harris offered the wife of an inmate $3,000 to use that alias to send text messages to his family and victims, claiming to have framed him for the child porn charges. When all else failed, Harris sent a letter to the Chinese embassy promising military secrets if they broke him out of jail.
At his sentencing, Harris thanked his family for their love and support, and lamented the loss of his wife and children, but never addressed his actions or victims.
Defense Attorney Andrew Sacks blamed Harris' behavior on the pressures the pilot placed on himself. Harris was caught up in being perfect for everyone; his drive demanded a standard he couldn't possibly meet. The only place he could find control was in the "dark, dirty little world he found himself in."
Sacks asked for the mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years. Davis wasn't buying it. He sentenced Harris to 50 years in prison. At least 85 percent of that sentence must be served with good conduct before Harris is eligible to be released. Sacks said his client would appeal.
Harris kept his eyes forward as he was led out of the courtroom. His father stood by the door and apologized to victims as families filed out.
"It's too bad that Harris didn't have the same character as his dad," said the father of victim "H.M.," whose call to police initiated the investigation that ended with Harris' conviction. "I really feel sad for the guy's dad. I feel sorry for his kids, too. And I hope they never meet anyone like him when they are growing up."
http://www.navytimes.com/story/military/2015/07/18/harris-navy-prison-spy-child-pornography-verdict/30252785/
From: Navy Times
Lt. Daniel Harris was an all-American boy, the captain of his high school football and lacrosse teams. So it came as no surprise when this son of a retired naval aviator and grandson of a two-star admiral was accepted into the Naval Academy in 2001. He graduated at the top of flight training classes on his way to becoming a fighter pilot. In 2011, he fulfilled a lifelong dream and graduated from Top Gun (he even named the family dog "Maverick"). By 2014, Harris was well on his way to a stellar career, with glowing fitness reports and a devoted wife and two children by his side.
He never had a brush with the law — not even a parking ticket.
But Harris harbored a dark secret. For years, he had posed online as a teenager to convince young teen girls to send him suggestive pictures. He used those photos to blackmail the girls; demanding they send sexually graphic images and videos or else he would post the initial images online or send them to family and friends.
Investigators found more than 800 sexually explicit images and videos of girls on Harris' computer. Of the more than 275 screen names with which Harris had Skype conversations, more than 45 were girls who made it clear they were underage. Prosecutors called Harris "the victimizer and manipulator of hundreds of girls," and said his exploits likely started as early as 2008, but he bought a new computer in 2011 so they had no way to prove the extent of his activities.
The victims weren't the only ones fooled. Harris received high marks in his last two fitness reports, obtained by Navy Times. Less than two months before Harris' November 2013 arrest, the reviewing officer said the strike fighter tactics instructor "has earned my strongest recommendation for promotion, selection for [Strike Fighter Squadron] Department Head and VFA Command. PROMOTE AND SELECT NOW!"
With that same vigor, dozens of friends and family members came to Harris' defense. In character letters and courtroom testimony they expressed shock at the charges leveled against a man repeatedly described as arole model with sterling integrity and character; a family man who was selfless and compassionate, caring and trustworthy.
But the tune changed after the prosecution presented a mountain of evidence and the jury found him guilty on 29 counts of production, receipt, transportation, and possession of child pornography, and two counts of obstruction of justice. Harris was sentenced to 50 years on Monday.
Harris was a dream kid, "up until the verdict was reached," according his father, retired Cmdr. Steve Harris, who testified at his son's July 13 sentencing. Similar sentiment was presented in taped telephone calls and post-verdict letters in which former supporters expressed everything from regret to resentment. They lashed out at Harris, and the repeated deceptions he used in a fruitless attempt to evade conviction. An aunt told him to take responsibility for his actions and apologize. His grandmother said he dishonored the Navy and "should have been man enough to admit it." The most scathing letter came from Harris' wife, Erin, who was not at the sentencing. She had voiced strong support when her husband was arrested, and did not want those words to benefit him during sentencing. She said her initial comments came from a hopeful heart that had only a fraction of information.
"My observations were not only wrong, but couldn't be further from the truth," said Erin, who has filed for divorce. "In his world, only he matters."
In rendering his sentence, U.S. District Court Judge Mark Davis noted the "stark contrast" between the picturesque naval aviator and the convicted felon who stood shackled before him. He said Harris had "sadistically tormented," "manipulated," and "blackmailed" nine victims who ranged in age from 12 to 17.
"You essentially raped them," Davis said. "In some ways what you did was worse because you kept coming back to them."
The judge denounced Harris for showing no emotion throughout the trial and sentencing, save for one moment when a teenage victim forgave him. Harris' gaze remained fixed to the floor as victims and families describedtheir victimization. Outgoing teens said they'd withdrawn in depression; some were hospitalized, and others became suicidal.
"He is a sick man who should be ashamed of his actions, but has shown otherwise," victim "H.K." said at Harris' sentencing.
Naval aviators from Harris' command who were present at sentencing often sat with heads down. "This is embarrassing," one whispered as prosecutors revisited facts during closing arguments. But there was one moment the uniformed officers nodded in agreement: Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Yusi declared that Harris' character was a façade, but true bravery and integrity could be seen in the young girls who had come forward to testify.
The judge said he found it "very troubling" that Harris never admitted any of his activity despite the voluminous evidence against him. The fighter pilot instead blamed other people, and even created a fake scapegoat named "John Anderson" to avoid prosecution. Harris offered the wife of an inmate $3,000 to use that alias to send text messages to his family and victims, claiming to have framed him for the child porn charges. When all else failed, Harris sent a letter to the Chinese embassy promising military secrets if they broke him out of jail.
At his sentencing, Harris thanked his family for their love and support, and lamented the loss of his wife and children, but never addressed his actions or victims.
Defense Attorney Andrew Sacks blamed Harris' behavior on the pressures the pilot placed on himself. Harris was caught up in being perfect for everyone; his drive demanded a standard he couldn't possibly meet. The only place he could find control was in the "dark, dirty little world he found himself in."
Sacks asked for the mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years. Davis wasn't buying it. He sentenced Harris to 50 years in prison. At least 85 percent of that sentence must be served with good conduct before Harris is eligible to be released. Sacks said his client would appeal.
Harris kept his eyes forward as he was led out of the courtroom. His father stood by the door and apologized to victims as families filed out.
"It's too bad that Harris didn't have the same character as his dad," said the father of victim "H.M.," whose call to police initiated the investigation that ended with Harris' conviction. "I really feel sad for the guy's dad. I feel sorry for his kids, too. And I hope they never meet anyone like him when they are growing up."
http://www.navytimes.com/story/military/2015/07/18/harris-navy-prison-spy-child-pornography-verdict/30252785/
Navy
Crime
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 63
62
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Another in a series of people using the internet to victimize underage children to satisfy their sick desires. As a parent, this is a flashing neon sign screaming to be heard about monitoring your kids' use of the internet.
I found it particularly scorn-worthy that he contacted the Chinese offering military secrets in exchange for a jailbreak. THAT little item ought to be of interest for a second trial under UCMJ, considering the article only indicates conviction on the sexual counts.
He isn't getting out of jail, ever.
I found it particularly scorn-worthy that he contacted the Chinese offering military secrets in exchange for a jailbreak. THAT little item ought to be of interest for a second trial under UCMJ, considering the article only indicates conviction on the sexual counts.
He isn't getting out of jail, ever.
(62)
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SGT (Join to see)
Isn't getting out of jail ever because I hope he gets "accidentally" mixed in general population, gets raped, and dies of internal bleeding of the ass.
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Sgt William Margeson
Obviously a disconnect somewhere in his brain. But it does not mitigate what he did.
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I think this article is extremely important because it points out that a servicemember can be perceived as exceptional by their command, but lead a completely different life. If more leaders were open to that fact that these types of people exist we may be able to identify them sooner and prevent this type of behavior from escalating.
(32)
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MAJ (Join to see)
I completely agree with you. There are signs... If it's too good to be true, it probably is..
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CPT (Join to see)
You are so right. I faced similar admiration from my ex-husband ' s CoC when we were divorcing due to him domestically abusing me. They just couldn't see him in that light. He wore 2 masks. One for work and one for home.
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SGT Kristin Wiley
ENS Jeremy Medlen It's not about casting doubt on their work performance. In the Army, part of our NCO creed is "I will know my soldiers and always place their needs above my own." If a soldier was doing this type of stuff in his off-duty time, his first-line leader should be paying attention to know something isn't right. I said the same thing to one of my AF Officer friends this past weekend when he was called in to deal with a suicide. If we extend the effort to know those under our command, we can see and recognize the signs. It's not about doubting their performance at work, but being open-minded to the idea that they might not be so perfect as we would like to think.
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SFC(P) (Join to see)
His own wife was unaware. His closest family members were unaware. I don't see how members of his CoC would be reasonably expected to know that he had this type of issue, when his most intimate circle did not. I have never reached a level with any of my junior soldiers where I know more about their personal lives than their own spouse. I consider myself a caring and involved leader, but this is not something that could have been discovered unless I were accessing his personal home computer.
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I personally have been exposed to something similar. A few years ago I worked for a man that from the outside seemed to have it going on. He was working for a good company, married, kids, dogs and himself a small plane pilot. He even flew his plane here for a site visit and took me for a flight so that I could take pictures from the air. I often turned to this guy for both personal and professional advise. He was there to help me when my grandfather passed away, working with the HR department to give me a few extra days to be home with my family following my grandpa's death.
Then to my surprise, and a lot of others, he was arrested and charged for violating young boys. At first, I couldn't believe what the reports were saying. It didn't seem possible. Heck I sat in the same room and worked with this guy over several months, everything seemed "normal". Yet as the reports piled up and more and more people came forward, my support of this guy started to decrease. It all ended a few months ago when he was found dead with a self-inflected gun shot to the head just days before his case was to start at court.
I guess it all goes to show that we may never know the true nature of some people.
Then to my surprise, and a lot of others, he was arrested and charged for violating young boys. At first, I couldn't believe what the reports were saying. It didn't seem possible. Heck I sat in the same room and worked with this guy over several months, everything seemed "normal". Yet as the reports piled up and more and more people came forward, my support of this guy started to decrease. It all ended a few months ago when he was found dead with a self-inflected gun shot to the head just days before his case was to start at court.
I guess it all goes to show that we may never know the true nature of some people.
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SGT (Join to see)
I'm very sorry you had to go through that, Ben. It really does go to show you that the big, bad monster isn't easy to spot. They could live up the,street from us and be an outstanding member of our community. Just another reason to be vigilant about monitoring our children's activities, on and off the computers.
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