A man from Oskaloosa, Iowa, has been sentenced to 18 years in federal prison for the sexual exploitation of a child. Matthew Scott Beal, 42, was found to have produced child pornography involving a minor and distributed four videos of child pornography over the internet to an undercover law enforcement account operated by Homeland Security’s Newark Child Exploitation Task Force.
Law enforcement seized Beal’s phone during a search of his residence in Oskaloosa. The device contained more than 100 images and videos of child pornography, some depicting prepubescent children engaged in sex acts with adults.
After serving his prison sentence, Beal will be subject to five years of supervised release. He is also required to pay $15,938.50 in restitution to multiple victims. Federal sentencing does not allow for parole.
United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa announced the sentence. The investigation was conducted by the Department of Homeland Security Homeland Security Investigations Newark Child Exploitation Group, the Oskaloosa Police Department, and the Iowa Department of Public Safety Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force.
The case falls under Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative started by the Department of Justice in May 2006 to address child sexual exploitation and abuse. The project brings together federal, state, and local resources to identify and prosecute individuals who exploit children online and works to rescue victims. More information on Project Safe Childhood can be found at https://www.justice.gov/psc.
"United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement."
"This case was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security Homeland Security Investigations Newark Child Exploitation Group, the Oskaloosa Police Department, and the Iowa Department of Public Safety Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force."
"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 the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, 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 https://www.justice.gov/psc."
