RALEIGH, N.C. (WPTF News) – A Knightdale man –referred to as an internet “spider” by prosecutors — has been sentenced in connection with distributing child pornography.
Daniel Shane Tyrolf (photo courtesy U.S. Attorney’s office)
A federal judge sentenced Daniel Shane Tyrolf, 35, to 17.5 years in federal prison, 25 years supervised release, and a $5,000 assessment for Distribution of Child Pornography. Tyrolf pleaded guilty to the offense on November 3, 2025.
“We remain focused on protecting children and fighting the evil scourge of child predators. Spiders like this hide in the dark corners of the internet web, but we will stomp them out with no mercy.” said U.S. Attorney Ellis Boyle in a press release announcing the sentencing.
Kik social media reported to the National Center of Missing and Exploited Children that one of their users had distributed child sexual abuse material on its platform on multiple occasions. The IP addresses came back to Inmate Tyrolf’s residence and his workplace, Tyrolf Automotives, LLC. The Wake County Sheriff’s Office and Knightdale Police Department received cybertips from NCMEC. Both agencies joined the FBI to investigate Inmate Tyrolf.
Law enforcement executed search warrants on his Kik accounts and discovered he had uploaded almost 100 files of child sexual abuse material in private and group chats. Law enforcement discovered hundreds of files of child sexual abuse material in multiple accounts belonging to Inmate Tyrolf.
On April 29, 2025, law enforcement executed search warrants at Inmate Tyrolf’s residence and workplace, seizing multiple digital devices. His devices contained child sexual abuse files: over 600 images of prepubescent children on one tablet, alone.
Chief Lawrence Capps of the Knightdale Police Department said, “The successful resolution of this case highlights the dedicated efforts of our investigators and task force partners. Protecting our children from online threats is paramount, and we remain committed to holding those who willingly exploit them fully accountable.”
“This arrest highlights the importance of the collaboration and diligence our agency has with our federal, state, and local partners to protect the most vulnerable members of our community,” Sheriff Willie Rowe said. “No matter how long an investigation takes, we are committed to seeing it through till the person responsible is identified and prosecuted.”
Ellis Boyle, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge James C. Dever III. The FBI, the Wake County Sheriff’s Office, and the Knightdale Police Department investigated the case, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Charity Wilson prosecuted the case.