SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A 45-year-old Rancho Cordova man was sentenced Friday to 40 years in federal prison for secretly filming a child with hidden cameras in a bathroom and then distributing the resulting child sexual abuse material online, federal prosecutors announced.
Daragh Finbar Hayes was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Dena Coggins after pleading guilty in January to one count of production of child sexual abuse material and one count of distribution of child sexual abuse material.
According to court documents, between June 25, 2024, and September 30, 2024, Hayes hid cameras inside a bathroom he knew the child victim used. He captured videos and photographs of the victim while undressed, then edited and stored the images in a hidden folder on his computer. Prosecutors said Hayes later entered illicit online chatrooms where he bragged about the material and shared it with others.
The case highlights the severe federal penalties for using so-called “spy cams” or hidden recording devices to sexually exploit children. Production of child sexual abuse material alone carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years and up to 30 years per count, with distribution charges adding significant additional time.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles Campbell prosecuted the case.
U.S. Attorney Eric Grant emphasized the gravity of the crime in a statement announcing the sentence.
This prosecution was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, the Department of Justice’s long-running initiative to combat child sexual exploitation. Launched in 2006, the program coordinates federal, state, and local law enforcement efforts to investigate, apprehend, and prosecute offenders while working to identify and rescue victims.
Federal authorities have repeatedly warned that hidden camera technology—often marketed as small, wireless “spy cams”—is frequently misused in child exploitation cases. Installing such devices to record minors in private areas like bathrooms or changing rooms is treated as a serious felony under federal law, with sentences frequently reaching decades due to the lifelong harm inflicted on victims.
Hayes will serve his 40-year sentence in federal prison, followed by a lifetime of supervised release upon completion of his term. He must also register as a sex offender.
For more information about internet safety and protecting children from online and technological exploitation, visit the Project Safe Childhood resources at www.usdoj.gov/psc.
