(FORT WAYNE) - A Fort Wayne man will spend seven years in prison after admitting to sexually abusing a 14-year-old boy, following a plea agreement accepted Wednesday in Allen County court. Charles McDaniel, 44, was sentenced after pleading guilty to one count of sexual misconduct with a minor.
McDaniel was originally charged with rape, possession of child pornography, vicarious sexual gratification, child solicitation, child exploitation, and three counts of sexual misconduct with a minor. Under the plea deal entered in December 2025, all charges except the single count were dismissed. The judge imposed a nine-year sentence, with two years suspended, resulting in seven years of executed time.
The case stemmed from a report made by McDaniel's former roommate, 34-year-old Dylan Kieres, who told police that he and McDaniel had both been sexually abusing the teenage victim and that recordings of the abuse were stored on Kieres' phone. Kieres later pleaded guilty in September 2025 to child exploitation and possession of child pornography, both felony charges. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for Feb. 4.
McDaniel also faces additional legal trouble in a separate case, where he has been charged with felony possession of child pornography. That charge carries a potential sentence of one to six years in prison, and a trial date has not yet been set. Authorities said the investigation was handled with assistance from the Allen County Sheriff's Office, and the case was prosecuted in Fort Wayne.