ST. LOUIS – An O’Fallon, Missouri, man appeared in federal court and admitted to having sex with an underage teen less than half his age and to discussing sex with another underage victim.
Prosecutors with the U.S. Attorney’s Office of the Eastern District of Missouri said Andrew Haller, 34, met both 15-year-old victims on Tumblr and eventually moved the conversations with each of them to the encrypted chat app Telegram.
One victim told FBI agents once the chat jumped to Telegram, Haller brought up the topic of being a “daddy dom.” Haller also told her he was sexually abusing another teen.
Prosecutors said Haller had rules for this victim: she would have to ask his permission to use the bathroom, wear a collar at all times, and only call him “Sir,” “Dad,” or “Daddy” when they communicated. Haller told the court he asked the girl for nude photos and videos, and also sent her photos and videos from the other victim.
After searching Haller’s home in November 2023, FBI agents were able to identify the other victim. She told investigators she sent Haller nude pictures and videos at his request.
This victim told authorities she met Haller on two occasions in 2023 and engaged in sexual activity. Haller admitted striking the girl on the first encounter and taking pictures and videos of her.
Prosecutors said Haller shared with one of the victims a desire to sexually abuse a child who would be too young to speak or remember the abuse.
When investigators searched Haller’s electronic devices, they uncovered 195 images and 92 videos of child sexual abuse material, which he’d sent to others via Telegram and Signal, another encrypted app.
Haller pleaded guilty to two counts of coercion and enticement of a minor, one count of distribution of child pornography, and one count of receipt of child pornography.
Haller will be sentenced on Jan. 28, 2025. He faces a minimum of 10 years in prison on each coercion charge, and a five-year minimum on each of the child pornography charges.
However, in exchange for his guilty plea, federal prosecutors agreed to ask for no more than 25 years in prison.
