Ex-Denton police officer sentenced for distributing child pornography while on duty

A former Denton police officer was sentenced on Thursday to more than 10 years in a federal prison for distributing child pornography while he was in law enforcement.

U.S. District Judge Amos L. Mazzant ordered the 121-month sentence for 39-year-old David Schoolcraft of Argyle.

Schoolcraft was indicted by a federal grand jury on March 10, 2021, in the Eastern District of Texas. He pleaded guilty on Dec. 28, 2021, to possession of child pornography.

“Children are the most precious and vulnerable members of our society, and justice and basic human decency demands that we do everything in our power to protect them from harm,” said U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Texas Brit Featherston in a news release. “Schoolcraft violated his oath of office as a police officer and the trust of our community, and instead of protecting children he took pleasure in viewing children being sexually exploited and harmed. Although no sentence can make up for the pain he caused, this sentence should put everyone on notice that the Eastern District of Texas will not tolerate this behavior.”

An investigation began when authorities discovered Schoolcraft was distributing child pornography within a social media application between December 2020 and January 2021.

The investigation revealed that Schoolcraft was engaged in the activity while at the Denton Police Department, where he served as a police officer, as well as at his home in Argyle, according to federal authorities.

Federal agents served search warrants and met with Schoolcraft in February 2021, at which time Schoolcraft admitted to using a social media application and his cellphone to trade child pornography.

Schoolcraft admitted to possessing images and videos of prepubescent minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct, including children who were bound and sexually abused by adults.

“The details of this case are upsetting not only because it involves the distribution of material exploiting children, but also because the perpetrator was a police officer who was expected to serve and protect his community,” said FBI Dallas Special Agent in Charge Matthew DeSarno. “The FBI and our law enforcement partners consistently work together to hold child predators accountable for their actions. We are also steadfast in our commitment to protect children from individuals who seek to exploit their innocence.”

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Plano Police Department and Denton Police Department.