Tyler Dane Wooten, a 36-year-old resident of Bryant, Arkansas, has been sentenced to 30 years in federal prison for producing child pornography. The sentence was announced by Jonathan D. Ross, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, and handed down by United States District Judge Lee P. Rudofsky.
Wooten was indicted on October 9, 2024, by a federal grand jury on multiple charges including six counts of distribution of child pornography, one count of production of child pornography, two counts of distribution and attempted distribution of child pornography, two counts of receipt and attempted receipt of child pornography, and one count of possession of child pornography. In addition to his prison term, Wooten will be subject to lifetime supervised release and must pay $81,000 in restitution. Federal law does not allow parole.
The investigation began in April 2024 when an FBI Online Covert Employee (OCE) communicated with a user named “Bad Daddy” on an online platform. Authorities later identified this user as Wooten. Both were members of a chat group dedicated to exchanging child pornography material. Investigators found that between April and June 2024, Wooten and others shared videos depicting adults engaging in sexual acts with children—including toddlers and infants.
During a private conversation on April 24, 2024, Wooten told the OCE he previously possessed “100+ gigs” of illegal material but had deleted it due to feelings described as a “guilty conscience” and a “paranoid episode.” He also stated he was resuming his collection efforts and was seeking more extreme content involving babies and toddlers.
Further examination revealed that Wooten directed another individual to sexually abuse a child while recording the act.
Law enforcement arrested Wooten on July 30, 2024. At the time of his arrest, officers found nearly four thousand videos containing child pornography on his devices.
This prosecution is part of Project Safe Childhood—a Department of Justice initiative launched in May 2006—to address online exploitation and abuse against children by coordinating resources across federal, state, and local agencies. More information about Project Safe Childhood can be found at https://www.justice.gov/psc. The public is reminded that parents should monitor their children’s online activities.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation led the investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Kristin Bryant prosecuted the case.
