What began as a campus stalking complaint at UC Berkeley has now turned into a felony case involving child sexual abuse material, with a former student jailed and facing a new slate of serious charges.
Daniel Eric Mangum, 25, a former UC Berkeley student, was arrested after campus police looking into a stalking report say they uncovered hundreds of images and videos of minors on his cellphone. Prosecutors have charged him with felony stalking tied to alleged harassment of an ex-girlfriend, along with possession of child sexual abuse material. He remains in custody ahead of further court proceedings and is due back in court later this month.
Court papers reviewed by The Berkeley Scanner say the case started in September, when a female UC Berkeley student reported a barrage of masked, threatening text messages that included specific identifying details about her dorm. According to those filings, UCPD detectives traced the messages back to Mangum, seized his phone and sent it out for forensic testing. Investigators say the lab reported finding more than 600 images of children under 18 and at least 10 images that appeared to show children under 12. The Alameda County District Attorney then added possession of child sexual abuse material charges to earlier felony stalking counts, and booking records put total bail across the two matters at $150,000, with a Dec. 26 return date for Mangum to enter a plea, the report says.
When Mangum’s attorney pushed for his release from custody, Judge Michael Risher declined, citing what he described as a sustained pattern of harassment in a written order. "Although he has temporarily stopped this behavior," Risher wrote, "he poses a substantial risk of again harassing the victim and violating the criminal protective order if released," according to the court documents reported by The Berkeley Scanner.
How Investigators Say The Probe Unfolded
According to the court accounts, detectives say Mangum leaned on a mix of social platforms, including Instagram, Spotify and Pinterest, to reach the victim while trying to conceal who he was. Campus police note that stalking cases often involve a tangle of electronic communications, and that detectives can pull digital records and send devices for forensic analysis as part of an investigation. For more on how campus police handle stalking reports and support survivors, see UCPD.
Legal Status And Next Steps
Current charging papers list felony stalking and possession of child sexual abuse material. Prosecutors moved ahead with the new counts this week, and Mangum is expected to enter a plea at his Dec. 26 hearing. Local reports say he is being held at Santa Rita Jail while the cases move through the courts. The Alameda County Sheriff’s Office maintains public information about the Santa Rita facility for anyone seeking booking or visitation details.
Campus Resources And Support
UC Berkeley urges students affected by stalking or sexual violence to seek confidential support on campus. The PATH to Care Center offers a 24/7 Care Line along with survivor advocacy, safety planning and guidance on reporting options. PATH to Care can assist students whether or not they choose to file a police report or a campus complaint. See the PATH to Care Center for hotline information and other resources.
The Berkeley Scanner was first to publish the court records underlying this story. We have asked university and county officials for comment and will update this article if authorities release booking photos or additional charging documents.
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