David Richard Hackworth, a 44-year-old San Mateo County resident, has entered a no contest plea on seven felony counts involving lewd acts with children, authorities announced. Between January 2017 and May 2020, Hackworth is said to have preyed on seven girls, all under the age of 13. According to a post from the San Mateo County District Attorney's Office, he met his victims on social networking platforms, including Snapchat, Facebook, and Instagram. Sentencing for Hackworth has been scheduled for February 27.
David Richard Hackworth (44) pled no contest to 7 felony counts of lewd acts with a child. Jan '17 to May '20, Hackworth victimized 7 girls under the age of 13, meeting them on various social apps such as Snapchat, Facebook, & Instagram. Sentencing will be on February 27th. pic.twitter.com/IYPKQbKF87
— San Mateo County District Attorney (@SanMateoCoDA) January 16, 2024
The case against Hackworth took a grim turn when a tip-off from the Arapahoe County Sheriff's Office in Colorado flagged him for communicating with a 10-year-old for sexual gratification. After receiving the tip in May 2020, detectives raided Hackworth’s Redwood City home, as stated in a San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office news release. In the course of their preliminary investigation, officers uncovered a horde of over 200,000 child pornography images on Hackworth's devices.
Arrested for a slew of charges, including persuading minors to engage in sexual acts and distributing sexual content involving minors, Hackworth finds himself embroiled in a nightmare of his own making. The San Mateo County Sheriff's report reveals that Hackworth faced charges under multiple penal codes, including communication with a minor for sexual gratification and possession plus distribution of child pornography. The severity of Hackworth’s alleged actions has prompted a close collaboration between local detectives and the Silicon Valley Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force.
This level of internet-based criminal activity is rattling the community. As part of their ongoing investigation into Hackworth's extensive illicit activities, local law enforcement officials have issued a call to action for anyone with knowledge of children who may have interacted with Hackworth to come forward. Concerned parties are urged to contact Detective Chiu or Detective Paterson with any information that could further aid the investigation.
