DeSoto County deputies say what started as a school safety concern last fall has now landed an Arcadia man behind bars on multiple felony charges. Road patrol deputies arrested Daniel Diaz last Friday after investigators say he sent sexually explicit material to a juvenile using Facebook. The case stems from a report the sheriff’s School Resource Division received in September, and prosecutors later secured a capias warrant in 2025, according to county officials.
Investigation and arrest
According to the DeSoto County Sheriff's Office, the Criminal Investigative Division took over after the original School Resource Division report and forwarded the case to the Office of the State Attorney. The State Attorney’s Office issued a capias warrant in 2025, the post states, and road patrol deputies later tracked down Diaz and arrested him last Friday.
Charges and legal context
The sheriff's post says Diaz is charged with solicit child by computer for unlawful or sexual conduct and transmission of harmful material to a minor, both felony offenses. Those offenses are covered under Florida law, including Chapter 847, according to the Florida Senate, which criminalizes computer-facilitated solicitation and the transmission of material harmful to minors. Under Florida sentencing law, a third-degree felony can carry up to five years in prison, per the Florida Senate.
Local context and next steps
Sheriff James Potter thanked deputies, detectives and the State Attorney’s Office for their work on the investigation, according to the department's post. The Office of the State Attorney for the 12th Judicial Circuit, which serves DeSoto County, will handle prosecution. Local law enforcement has been stepping up outreach on online safety for children in recent years, as reported by Gulf Coast News.
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