Daniel Lanious, 50, allegedly
sent sexually explicit text messages to a 13-year-old girl
By Mark Walters
mwalters@eveningsun.com
@walt_walters on Twitter
A former Carroll Valley Police
officer has been accused of sending "flirtatious and sexual" text
messages to a 13-year-old girl, police state in charging documents.
Daniel Lanious, 50, of South
Middleton Township, Cumberland County, was charged with corruption of a minor,
according to a police criminal complaint filed at District Justice Susan Day's
office in Mount Holly Springs.
The teenager's mother told
police that Lanious met her daughter in July 2013, according to the affidavit
of probable cause.
The girl received a text
message from Lanious out of nowhere, the affidavit states. The messages quickly
became "flirtatious and sexual," the affidavit continues.
The girl said she believed
Lanious obtained her cellphone number from her Facebook page, the affidavit
states.
The girl told police Lanious
often mentioned wanting to have sex with her, according to the affidavit. She
said she played along to an extent, but was not as graphic as he was, the
affidavit continues.
The messages reportedly stopped
on Aug. 13, when the girl's mother caught the last text, which read
""¦ I wish you were home"¦ I wish you were on birth
control"¦ I have a condom," according to the affidavit.
The mother replied to the
message and told Lanious she hoped he was not over 18 because her daughter is
only 13, according to the affidavit.
A day or two later the mother
was visited by Lanious' son, who asked the mother if she would be contacting
police, the affidavit states.
During an interview with state
police Trooper Matthew Johnston from the Carlisle barracks, Lanious admitted to
sending sexual text messages to the 13-year-old girl, the affidavit states.
Lanious apologized repeatedly
for his actions and admitted what he did was "very stupid," according
to the affidavit.
A preliminary hearing is
scheduled for Lanious on April 2 in front of Day. He is being represented by
Gettysburg attorney Steve Rice. Rice declined to comment on the case until he
has spoken further with his client.
"As a well respected law
enforcement officer, it would be nice if people could give him the benefit of
the doubt," Rice said.
Mark Walters covers Adams
County for The Evening Sun. Contact him at 717-637-3736 ext. 147.