Matthew Ryan Harper, 22, of Point Pleasant, pleaded guilty today to distribution of child pornography.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on June 9, 2021, Harper used the Snapchat social media platform to distribute a video of a prepubescent minor female engaged in sexually explicit conduct.
Harper admitted to distributing videos containing child pornography on three additional occasions in June 2021. Harper communicated with others on Snapchat and the Omegle online chat website about obtaining and trading child pornography during this time.
Harper further admitted to possessing 100 images and 38 videos of child pornography on January 25, 2022. Some of the images depicted toddlers.
Harper is scheduled to be sentenced on February 27, 2023, and faces a mandatory minimum of five years and up to 20 years in prison, at least years and up to a lifetime of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine. Harper must also register as a sex offender.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the United States Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations (“HSI”).
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Julie White is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:22-cr-60.
Original source can be found here.
