Dallas

Man Confesses to Decades-Old Child Sexual Abuse Charges: Mesquite Police

Investigators say there could be more victims

Mesquite police want to know if there are any other victims of a man who investigators say confessed to sexually abusing young girls decades ago.

Daniel Wayne Meshell, 74, was arrested Dec. 28 on nine counts of aggravated sexual assault of a child. He is being held in the Dallas County Jail on $900,000 bond.

"He claimed he preferred victims between the ages of 2 and 8," said Mesquite Police Lt. Brian Parrish.

Police started their investigation after a woman, now in her 40s, reported Meshell sexually abused her in the 1990s. Investigators say that led them to two more alleged victims in Dallas.

"Any investigator that works this kind of crime will tell you the first thing we hope is that there just simply are no more victims," Parrish said. "We know that's not very likely, and we know this type of person, they don't just do it once if they can get away with it, and this man got away with it for quite possibly 50 years."

Police say Meshell had access to children since 1968 through a family member's in-home daycare. He also volunteered with children's ministries at St. Pius X in Dallas from 1978 to 1996, and St. John the Apostle in Terrell from 1996 until now. Meshell also drove a bus for the Terrell Independent School District from 2011 to 2012.

Investigators say none of the known victims are from those locations.

Police say due to the severity of the alleged crime, there is no statute of limitations.

If you have any information, Mesquite police ask you to contact Investigator Roundtree at 972-329-8303 or police dispatch at 972-285-6336.

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