Former North Texas police officer given three life sentences for child pornography, solicitation of minor

A former police officer in North Texas was ordered to serve three consecutive life sentences in prison after investigators found him in possession of over 300 videos and images of children being sexually abused, according to a statement from Johnson and Somerville Counties' district attorney.

Former Itasca Police Department Officer Daniel Joseph Bates was convicted Wednesday of possession of child pornography and online solicitation of a minor after a civilian set him up in an entrapment scheme, according to a statement District Attorney Timothy Good shared with Fox News Digital.

Texas Rangers arrested Bates after an adult decoy posing as a 15-year-old girl alerted police that Bates was communicating with someone he believed to be a minor, according to the statement.

The civilian alerted police to Bates' communications with him, prompting Rangers to obtain a search warrant for his digital devices, and they allegedly found over 300 images of minor children being sexually abused, according to the statement.

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"The images and videos that had to be processed and presented to the jury are indescribable in the level of depravity they depict and the degree of deviance of the defendant who voluntarily possessed and viewed those types of images," Good said in the statement."

"Daniel Bates disgraced his badge and violated his oath and became the monster that he was sworn to protect the community from. Our community is safer with Bates serving three consecutive life sentences."

Bates testified that the child pornography in his possession was part of a secret investigation he was conducting into human traffickers, but prosecutors disputed that.

Bates was only a reserve police officer and, at the time of his arrest, was working highway construction security, according to authorities.

"Bates was unable to substantiate his claims that he was conducting an official police investigation," the statement read.

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Bates reportedly told the person he was communicating with that, because he was a police officer, he carries a gun at all times. This prompted Arlind Queriman, a civilian who creates video content in which he exposes people who try to solicit minors for sex, to contact authorities, according to FOX 4 Dallas.

"Some people say we're vigilantes. Vigilantes beat up these people. I hand everything over to law enforcement," Queriman told FOX 4.

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Bates also attempted to use his status as a reserve police officer to get out of the charges.

"He actually tried to play the badge thing," Good told FOX 4.

"The badge was supposed to be a shield for children — not a shield for a predator. He made his choices. The jury made its verdict. And the judge made sure his next choice will be made from a prison cell for the rest of his life," Assistant District Attorney Christy May said via the statement shared with Fox News Digital.

The three life sentences for child pornography possession are accompanied by a 40-year sentence for solicitation of a minor, according to the statement.

Fox News Digital contacted Itasca Police Department for further comment.