U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced Wednesday that an Erie County man was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with production and distribution of child pornography. The charges carry a mandatory minimum penalty of 15 years in prison and a maximum penalty of 30 years.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron J. Mango, who is handling the case, stated that according to the complaint, in January 2023, the Department of Homeland Security Cyber Crimes Center received a referral from the Queensland Police Service in Australia, regarding media they had discovered that appeared to be newly produced and unidentified child exploitation material. The referral included 47 images depicting the sexual exploitation of an early pubescent female victim (Victim 1). In September 2023, HSI performed a visual analysis of images, which included various areas of a home as well as distinct dermatological markings on Victim 1. A few of the images contained metadata, which helped to determine the type and serial number of the camera used and that the photos were created in March 2013. HSI was able to identify and locate Victim 1.
HSI agents executed a search warrant at Matthew Steele’s Elma residence, during which agents observed several photographs of Victim 1 as a child in several rooms. They also observed the layout and the décor of the residence, which matched some of the images from the from the Queensland Police Service. Agents also located the camera used to take the images.
Steele appeared at a detention hearing Wednesday before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jeremiah J. McCarthy and was ordered detained.
The complaint is the result of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Scarpino and the Great Falls, Montana Police Department, under the direction of Chief Jeff Newton.
