A Tulsa County woman and her ex-husband are facing federal charges of making, receiving and distributing child sexual abuse material involving a 2-year-old girl, following an investigation that stretched back to recordings investigators believe were made in 2020 and 2021. Dakota Horn and Willie Horn III have been charged in connection with the material, according to federal authorities, though the charges remain allegations at this stage.
Investigators believe the recordings were made while the couple was babysitting the child, according to News On 6. The case traces back to May 2022, when the FBI first became aware of videos and photographs showing a woman sexually abusing a 2-year-old girl. That early evidence set off a yearslong effort to identify everyone involved, including the child herself.
A Break in the Case on the Dark Web
The investigation did not end with the initial 2022 discovery. In August 2023, investigators found additional videos showing a man sexually abusing the same girl circulating on the dark web, according to the outlet's reporting. Altogether, the probe uncovered 66 images and 11 videos involving the child, the station reports.
One of the images included a message advertising the material for sale, reading, “DM to buy full link. Full video available.” The outlet also reports that the woman seen in multiple videos made inappropriate comments during the abuse, details that investigators say helped shape the broader case against the couple.
Tattoo, Ring and Freckles Led to Identification
Identifying the adults in the footage reportedly took painstaking forensic work. Investigators noticed a distinctive tattoo on the woman's arm and a wedding ring on her finger, details that ultimately led them to Dakota Horn. The outlet's report states that investigators identified her specifically through that arm tattoo and the ring.
Investigators also noted that the man in the videos had distinctive freckles covering his body, and the article notes that they connected Willie Horn to the footage through those same freckles. Beyond physical markers, investigators compared bed sheets and furnishings visible in the videos with photographs found online in an effort to confirm the setting matched the couple's home.
The FBI’s victim-identification work combines digital comparisons with close examination of details in images, including clothing and objects in the background. Its Operation Rescue Me initiative is designed to identify children depicted in sexual abuse material, while a related program seeks to identify adults shown in the images. Since 2008, Operation Rescue Me has identified more than 600 children, the FBI says.
Social Media Searches Helped Identify the Child
Pinning down the identity of the girl herself required a different approach. In 2026, FBI investigators used open-source image searches on social media platforms, including Facebook and Instagram, to identify the child, according to the same account. That digital trail, combined with the physical identifiers tied to the Horns, formed the backbone of the federal case.
The outlet's reporting also lays out the family relationships at the center of the investigation: Dakota Horn has four children, and Willie Horn is the father of three of them. The FBI investigation ultimately linked the pair to the videos and images of the 2-year-old girl being sexually abused, per the report.
The babysitting relationship described in the case reflects a broader pattern: children depicted in abuse material are often harmed by someone they know, including a babysitter, relative, neighbor or family friend, rather than a stranger. The abuse often occurs in a private home and is filmed there. NCMEC has also noted that images can continue to be shared online, extending the harm after the original abuse.
No court outcome, custody status or response from the Horns or their attorneys has been detailed in reporting on the case so far. The charges against Dakota Horn and Willie Horn III remain allegations, and they have not been found guilty in connection with the federal case.
Federal charges in cases involving online material can rest on the use of interstate or foreign commerce: federal law prohibits the production, receipt, distribution and possession of child sexual abuse material when commerce is involved, and internet use almost always implicates federal jurisdiction. The statutes treat production and distribution as distinct offenses. The Justice Department’s guide to federal law explains those provisions and their jurisdictional basis.
