A 36-year-old Irish national, Matthew Liam Johnstone, has been extradited from Ireland to Houston and is scheduled to appear in the Southern District of Texas on charges related to child exploitation. The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Johnstone’s initial court appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jason B. Libby in Corpus Christi is set for February 20 at 9:45 a.m.
According to an indictment returned on August 6, 2025, Johnstone is accused of coercing a minor in September 2022 to film and photograph herself engaging in sexually explicit conduct that allegedly included elements of sadism and bestiality.
If found guilty, Johnstone could face up to life imprisonment and a fine of up to $250,000.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation led the investigation into the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs collaborated with Irish authorities for Johnstone’s arrest and extradition.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick Overman and Trial Attorney Adam Braskich from the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section are prosecuting the case.
“This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative the Department of Justice launched in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse,” according to the press release. “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.” Additional information about Project Safe Childhood can be found on DOJ’s PSC page as well as internet safety education resources on that site.
An indictment represents a formal accusation but does not constitute evidence; defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty through due process.
The U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Texas operates under the U.S. Department of Justice with offices located in Houston, Galveston, Corpus Christi, Laredo, McAllen, and Brownsville (official website). This office employs more than 200 attorneys serving over nine million people across 43 counties (official website), focusing on prosecuting federal crimes and handling civil cases for the government (official website). Notable former leaders include Alamdar Hamdani (2022-2025) and Ryan Patrick (official history page).
