SFPD Investigation Leads to Federal Conviction for Child Pornography Distribution Suspect 25-052

Suspect sentenced to 15 years in federal prison

This month, the U.S. Attorney’s office announced that 59-year-old Dale Jetton was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison for the distribution of child pornography. The federal sentencing comes almost exactly two years after the SFPD’s investigation into the suspect.  

In early April of 2023, an investigator with the San Francisco Police Department’s Special Victims Unit Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) was assigned to a case following a referral from the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The suspect was identified as Dale Jetton.

In mid-April of 2023, SFPD members served a search warrant at Jetton’s residence on the 500 block of Minna Street in San Francisco. During the search warrant service, various types of evidence were seized, including electronic devices depicting child sexual abuse material.

As a result of the investigation, Jetton was indicted by a Federal Grand Jury in August 2023. He was found to have sent a link to a cloud service that he boasted contained over 700+ megabytes of child exploitation materials. 

Jetton has remained in custody since his April 2023 arrest and begins his prison term immediately.

SFPD Case# 230243800