Ax-Wielding Man Arrested Outside Child Molestation Suspect's Home

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) – Sacramento Police set out to search the home of a court officer suspected of child molest and ended up arresting an ax-wielding man in the process.

Sacramento Police investigators were in Rancho Cordova to serve a search warrant at the home of Daniel Horton, a Sacramento County Family Court judicial referee who has been arrested on child molest charges.

While officers were there, they say a man, identified as 46-year-old John Palante, show up to the home and got out of his van with an ax in hand, then got back into hisvan and followed a woman who left the home.

Palante then returned, driving across the lawn and skidding to a stop in the driveway.

Police say Palante started to go after Horton's children who were in a truck ready to drive off to school, and then started walking to the front door.

Officers were able to stop and arrest Palante before he made it to Horton's front door. Horton was at home after being released on bail but refused to talk with CBS13. He was arrested Wednesday, accused of posing as a modeling agent to get underage girls to pose nude. He resigned from his court position on Sunday.

Detectives say Horton was caught asking two teens to pose nude for a magazine, join a masturbation club and make sex videos.

As for the search warrant, Sacramento Police confirm they were looking for evidence in what they say is an ongoing investigation into Horton. But they would not say what officers were looking for specifically or what was found.

The ax-wielding Palante was Parlante was taken into custody by Rancho Cordova Police, and booked into the Sacramento County Main Jail on three felony charges – assault with a deadly weapon, stalking, and threatening the life of a government official. He is currently not eligible for bail.
Deputies say there is a history between the two men but wouldn't elaborate further. Horton is set to face a judge March 5.