A Clinton man found guilty on 14 of 16 charges alleging he sexually abused, prostituted, extorted and provided illicit drugs to underage girls in Bettendorf and Davenport has been sentenced to 255 years in prison.
Scott County District Judge Henry Latham announced the sentence against Daniel Craig Jones during a hearing Friday in District Court.
Daniel Craig Jones
Jones, 47, must serve 53 ½ years in prison before he becomes eligible for parole.
After a trial in District Court in October, a Scott County jury found Jones guilty of two counts of second-degree sexual abuse, and four counts of distributing drugs to a minor. He also was found guilty of three counts of sexual exploitation of a minor, and one count of lascivious acts with a minor-fondle or touch. Jones also was found guilty of two counts of prostitution, one count of lascivious acts with a child-solicitation, and one count of indecent contact with a child.
According to the arrest affidavits, Jones sexually abused a 13-year-old girl three times between June 1, 2022, and Aug. 31, 2022. Jones was on parole from the Iowa Department of Corrections at the time the abuse began.
The abuse took place at a home in Davenport, another time at a residence in Bettendorf and a third time in the parking lot of a Bettendorf restaurant.
Jones also delivered marijuana to a 16-year-old girl in exchange for nude photos of her. He also delivered marijuana to a 13-year-old girl and a 14-year-old girl, police said.
On two occasions between Nov. 1, 2022, and Dec. 31, 2022, Jones solicited nude photos from two girls by threatening them, according to the affidavits. In each instance, he met the girls individually at Veterans Memorial Park in Bettendorf. He then displayed a black handgun and threatened the girl and her family if she did not comply, records state.
Between Dec. 1, 2022, and March 31, 2023, on three occasions, he is accused of exchanging sexual favors from a 16-year-old girl for money and drugs. He even offered money for rent, an iWatch, an iPhone and hair extensions in exchange for sexual services, according to the affidavits.
Jones also attempted to coerce a 16-year-old girl to be a prostitute. According to arrest affidavits, he showed the victim an HBO documentary on Nevada's Moonlite BunnyRanch as well as a photo of a worker he purported was making $1,000 a visit as an example of how much money the victim could make as a prostitute.
According to the arrest affidavits, during a text conversation on April 4, 2023, the two talked about the number of people she would have to sleep with to make the kind of money she wanted. He told her she was attractive enough and could make big money.
Clinton man sentenced to 255 years in prison for sexually abusing, prostituting and extorting girls
A Clinton man found guilty on 14 of 16 charges that he sexually abused, prostituted, extorted and provided drugs to underage girls has been sentenced to 255 years in prison.
