Cherokee Man Sentenced to 14 Years for Child Pornography

Tulsa’s Matthew Steven Janson, a citizen of the Cherokee Nation, was sentenced to serve seven years in federal prison followed by an additional seven years of supervised release for his possession of over 600 images of child pornography. U.S. District Judge Gregory K. Frizzell imposed the sentence on the 38-year-old man, who had pleaded guilty to charges in June.

Acting U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson called Janson’s actions a grotesque exploitation of the most vulnerable members of society. ‘Matthew Janson accessed and viewed hundreds of images of children being sexually abused,’ Johnson said. ‘The demand for child pornography fuels an industry that preys on innocence, and our office will continue to pursue those who perpetuate this crime.’

Janson’s guilty plea in June revealed that he knowingly used the internet to receive child pornography between April 18, 2016, and May 25, 2016. He admitted to possessing images of prepubescent minors, some under the age of 12, within the Muscogee Nation Reservation.

The sentence comes after Janson’s state conviction was vacated due to the Supreme Court’s ruling in McGirt v. Oklahoma, which expanded tribal sovereignty. His previous state court plea in 2017 saw him sentenced to 10 years, with five years suspended.

Investigation and prosecution were led by the Tulsa Police Department, Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cymetra M. Williams handled the case on behalf of the government.

This conviction is part of Project Safe Childhood, a federal initiative launched in 2006 to combat child sexual exploitation. For more information on Project Safe Childhood and internet safety education, visit www.usdoj.gov/psc.

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