MADISON, WIS. - Scott C. Blader, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that late yesterday afternoon a jury found a Madison, Wisconsin man guilty of two counts of using a minor to produce sexually explicit videos. Matthew R. Howard, 23, was convicted following one day of testimony in a trial held in U.S. District Court in Madison. The jury deliberated for less than 30 minutes before returning its verdict.
Howard was found guilty of using a minor to produce sexually explicit videos in November 2014 and January 2017. According to testimony at the trial, in August 2017 the Madison Police Department received information from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children about a tip from an online service provider that an IP address registered to an address in Madison was used to upload and share images of child pornography. A search warrant was executed and an external hard drive was seized. The forensic analysis of that hard drive showed that Howard had recorded himself engaging in sexually explicit conduct with a minor, once in 2014 when the victim was nine years old, and once in 2017 when the victim was eleven years old.
U.S. District Judge William M. Conley scheduled sentencing for December 18. Howard faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 15 years in federal prison and a maximum of 30 years on each of the production charges.
Howard had previously pleaded guilty to federal charges of possessing, distributing, and receiving child pornography. These charges carry penalties ranging from at least five years and up to 20 years.
The charges against Howard are the result of an investigation by the Madison Police Department, Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation, and Wisconsin Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. The prosecution of this case is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Julie Pfluger and Diane Schlipper.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
