PANAMA CITY — An airman stationed at Tyndall Air Force Base has been arrested and jailed after a federal grand jury indicted him on charges stemming from his alleged possession and distribution of child pornography.
Daniel Freiwald pleaded not guilty during his initial court appearance to a three-count indictment charging him with knowingly receiving, possessing and distributing child porn between Dec. 7, 2012, and Jan. 23, 2013, according to a news release.
The indictment was announced Monday, but the grand jury handed down its indictment last week and a judge ordered it sealed until an arrest warrant for Freiwald could be executed. According to court records, prosecutors and law enforcement did not know where Freiwald was when he was indicted and asked the judge to seal it so he would not know he was wanted.
The indictment has been unsealed, but it reveals no specific details on the crimes for which Freiwald is accused. The indictment seeks forfeiture of any equipment he used to commit the alleged crimes and mentions computer equipment specifically.
Freiwald, 29, is a staff sergeant weapons evaluator with the 83rd Fighter Weapons Squadron at Tyndall, according to spokeswoman Lt. Andrea Valencia.
If convicted of the first two counts in the indictment, Freiwald faces between five and 20 years in prison, and the third count carries a maximum prison term of 10 years. Each count carries a potential fine of up to $250,000 and a period of supervised release of at least five years and up to the rest of his life.
His trial been scheduled for Sept. 23.