An attorney who worked for the Sacramento County juvenile court system for more than a decade was arrested Wednesday on charges he tried to convince underage girls to model nude, according to authorities.
Daniel Madden Horton, 47, turned himself in to the Sacramento Police Department Wednesday after a misdemeanor warrant was issued for his arrest, spokeswoman Officer Laura Peck said. He was released the same day and is scheduled to appear in court on March 5, according to online jail records.
"Horton presented himself as a modeling agent and requested to see intimate parts of the persons be believed to be minors," the Sacramento Police Department said in a press release. "Detectives believe that Horton may have contacted other women, including minors, representing himself as a modeling agent or photographer, and requesting that they pose naked or engage in masturbation. Detectives urge anyone who may have been approached by Horton to contact law enforcement."
Peck said there was no information to suggest the alleged incidents were connected to Horton's job with the juvenile court system.
Sacramento Court spokeswoman Ginger Sylvester said Horton resigned from his job over the weekend, before his arrest. He worked for the court system as a juvenile dependency court referee–an attorney who acts in the capacity of a judge, and had been with the court system since 2001.
The juvenile court system is based in Rosemont, near juvenile hall, but Horton worked at the family law courthouse on Power Inn Road, Sylvester said.
A Sacramento County court document states authorities first caught wind of Horton when a 17-year-old tanning salon employee reported that he came to her workplace in 2010 and told her "that she could earn $600 for a photo shoot with him but it was more of a nudist modeling job."
Horton allegedly asked the employee to show him her breasts, then "physically pulled down her bathing suit bottom." He left the room and then exposed himself to the employee, the court document alleges.
Sting near Rosemont targeted Horton
On Feb. 2, Horton allegedly spoke to what he thought were two 17-year-old girls about modeling nude–except both girls were adult decoys with audio recording devices and a police surveillance team.
He told both girls that he was a modeling agent with Oui, a pornographic magazine, according to court documents.
Horton allegedly told the first decoy, who was waiting outside a pizza restaurant on La Riviera Drive, that she would have to wait until she turned 18. According to the court documents, he asked a second decoy waiting at the corner of Folsom Boulevard and Bradshaw Road if she would be interested in auditioning for a masturbation video.
He also gave the second decoy his phone number, the court document states.
After speaking with the decoys, Horton found two Rancho Cordova Police officers and told them he felt the second girl was a prostitute, according to the document.
He also warned the officers about "some guy in the area contacting young females and offering them $600 to photograph them nude," the document states.
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The Sacramento Police Department is asking anyone who thinks Horton may have contacted them to call (916) 264-5471 or (916) 443-HELP (4357). They can also "text in a tip to 274637 (CRIMES)," according to the press release. "Enter SACTIP followed by the tip information. Callers can remain anonymous and may be eligible for a reward of up to $1,000."
He "drives a light gold 2002 Mercedes C320 and frequents the Folsom Boulevard corridor between State University Drive and Zinfandel Drive. He has also been seen in the Madison Avenue and Sunrise Boulevard areas."
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Sacramento Bee: Dependency court referee arrested on sex allegations
