United States of America v. Daniel Wayne Callihan

U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that DANIEL WAYNE CALLIHAN (“CALLIHAN”), age 37, a resident of Amite, Louisiana, was charged today in a two-count bill of information with kidnapping resulting in death, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1201(a) (Count 1), and transporting a minor in interstate commerce with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2423(a) (Count 2). CALLIHAN was previously charged for his crimes in a federal complaint on June 14, 2024, and has remained in federal custody since that time.

According to the bill of information, on or about June 13, 2024, CALLIHAN kidnapped Minor Victim 1 and Minor Victim 2 from Loranger, Louisiana, and transported them to the State of Mississippi, using a 2012 Chrysler 200. CALLIHAN's actions resulted in the deaths of Minor Victim 1 and Adult Victim 1.

Additionally, the bill of information alleges CALLIHAN transported Minor Victim 2 from the State of Louisiana to the State of Mississippi with intent that Minor Victim 2 engage in sexual activity for which any person can be charged with a criminal offense, namely violations of criminal laws of the State of Louisiana, including La. Rev. Stat. 14.81 and La Rev. Stat. 43.
\1, and the State of Mississippi, including Miss. Code § 97-3-95 and Miss. Code § 97-5-23.

U.S. Attorney Evans reiterated that a bill of information is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.

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 the Department’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section(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 Justice.gov/PSC.

U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in investigating this matter and expressed appreciation for the support provided by the United States Marshals Service, Tangipahoa Sheriff’s Office, Mississippi Bureau of Investigation, and Jackson (Mississippi) Police Department. Additionally, U.S. Attorney Evans commended the work of the U.S Attorney’s Office Victim Witness Unit. Assistant United States Attorneys Jordan Ginsberg, Chief of the Public Integrity Unit, and Sarah Dawkins, of the Violent Crime Unit, are in charge of the prosecution.

Outcome:

Defendant was found guilty and For Count 1, CALLIHAN faces a mandatory minimum sentence of life in prison, up to three years of supervised release, up to a $250,000 fine, and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee. For Count 2, CALLIHAN faces a mandatory minimum of ten (10) years in prison, and up to life in prison, at least five (5) years and up to a lifetime of supervised release, up to a $250,000 fine, and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee. A conviction on Count 2 may also require CALLIHAN to register as a sex offender.