A 36-year-old Irish citizen, Matthew Liam Johnstone, has been indicted on charges related to the sexual exploitation of a minor, according to an announcement by U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei. The indictment includes four counts of sexual exploitation of a minor and four counts of coercion and enticement of a child.
Prosecutors allege that in September 2022, Johnstone coerced a minor into producing images and videos depicting sexually explicit conduct, including acts described as sadistic.
If convicted on these charges, Johnstone could face a maximum sentence of life imprisonment as well as fines up to $250,000 per count.
The FBI’s Child Exploitation Operational Unit - Criminal Investigative Division led the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick Overman and Trial Attorney Adam Braskich from the Department of Justice’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) are handling the prosecution.
“This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative the Department of Justice (DOJ) launched in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's CEOS leads PSC, which marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children and identifies and rescues victims. For more information about PSC, please visit DOJ’s PSC page. For more information about internet safety education, please visit the resources tab on that page,” according to officials.
Authorities emphasize that an indictment is only an allegation at this stage; Johnstone is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
