Middlesex man sent ‘love letters’ to 13-year-old New York girl while in prison

MIDDLESEX COUNTY, Va. (WRIC) -- A Middlesex County man will spend decades in prison for child sex crimes after authorities discovered he was sending "love letters" to a 13-year-old New York girl while incarcerated.

Twenty-eight-year-old Daniel Ebinger of Middlesex was sentenced to 25 years in prison on two counts of use of a communications system to solicit a minor, according to a June 3 press release from the Office of the Virginia Attorney General.

These 25 years will be served consecutively with the 7-year sentence Ebinger has been serving since 2022 for possession of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) and use of a communications system to solicit a minor.

In Sept. 2022, a New York mother contacted the Haynesville Correctional Center in Richmond County -- where Ebinger was serving his sentence at the time -- and told them Ebinger was "sending love letters" and calling her 13-year-old daughter, per the release.

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Ebinger later admitted to having been in contact with the New York girl via social media between 2020 and when he was incarcerated in 2022. According to the release, this admission was later corroborated by evidence found on a cell phone seized by authorities, as well as his social media accounts.

During that two-year period, Ebinger solicited CSAM from the 13-year-old girl and suggested that the two of them engage in sexual acts.

Upon further investigation, authorities learned that Ebinger had been in contact with at least two juveniles while incarcerated, according to the release.

At the completion of his sentence, Ebinger will need to register as a sex offender and complete sex offender treatment. He will be prohibited from having any contact with minors, per the release. Additionally, he will not be able to use the Internet for any purpose unless said use is approved and monitored by his probation officer.

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“I’m proud of the work by my office and our law enforcement partners in securing a strong sentence that delivers justice for the victims and protects other children from this repeat child predator,” said Attorney General Jason Miyares in the release.

Those law enforcement partners included the Virginia Department of Corrections (VADOC) and the Middlesex County Sheriff's Office.