Fort Wainwright Soldier arrested on multiple child pornography charges

FAIRBANKS, Alaska – A Soldier stationed at Fort Wainwright was arrested yesterday evening on the military base after a criminal complaint was filed in federal court charging him with production and possession of child pornography.

According to court documents, on Sept. 11, 2024, the Fort Eustis Resident Unit of the Department of the Army Criminal Investigation Division (DACID) received a National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) cybertip reporting that five images of alleged child sexual abuse material (CSAM) were uploaded to an online platform. Fort Eustis DACID reviewed the images and determined they depicted CSAM of prepubescent female children.

A subsequent investigation resulted in law enforcement executing search warrants in October 2024 for the residence of David Andres Mayoral, 20, Mayoral’s electronic devices and his account on the previously mentioned online platform.

A review and forensic examination of Mayoral’s accounts and electronic devices allegedly revealed over 2,500 images and over 680 videos of suspected CSAM that Mayoral possessed and communicated across four messaging applications.

The complaint also alleges Mayoral engaged in sexually explicit conversations with minor victims, where he requested and directed the victims to take sexually explicit photos and send them to him.

Mayoral is charged with three counts of production of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography. If convicted, Mayoral faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 15 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

U.S. Attorney Michael J. Heyman of the District of Alaska, Special Agent in Charge Michele Starostka of the DACID Western Field Office and Special Agent in Charge Rebecca Day of the FBI Anchorage Field Office made the announcement.

The DACID and FBI Anchorage Field Office are investigating the case.  If anyone has information concerning Mayoral’s alleged actions or may have encountered an individual using the name “David Mayoral” or “ghoulishclown” online, please contact DACID at (907)353-6212 or anonymously at www.cid.army.mil/Submit-a-Tip/.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Carly Vosacek and Jennifer Ivers are prosecuting the case.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.

A criminal complaint is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

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