Baltimore, Maryland – In a disturbing case of child exploitation, twin brothers Matthew Curtis and Tyler Curtis were sentenced to 10 years in federal prison for possession of child pornography. The brothers, both 24 years old, were convicted of the crime in 2023 after a thorough investigation by law enforcement agencies.
The Curtis brothers were previously convicted of child pornography-related charges in 2017 within the Circuit Court of Carroll County. Specifically, Tyler Curtis was previously convicted of the promotion and distribution of child pornography and was subsequently required to register as a sex offender. Matthew Curtis was convicted of possession of child pornography and was sentenced to one year and six months in prison and three years’ probation. He then was required to register as a sex offender.
The latest sentencing was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron, who stated, “Thankfully, the Curtis brothers will spend the next decade in federal prison for their extensive and disturbing conduct.”
The investigation revealed that from 2019 to 2020, Tyler and Matthew Curtis downloaded, possessed, and distributed child pornography while on state probation for their previous convictions for child pornography-related charges. Matthew Curtis used an internet-based messaging application to repeatedly share depictions of prepubescent minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct with other users of the application.
On March 5, 2020, a cloud-based service submitted a CyberTip to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, reporting that a user account had uploaded 22 files of suspected child pornography. The IP address used to login to the cloud-based application was assigned to the defendants’ Hampstead residence and the email address was an address used by Matthew Curtis.
The investigation led to the execution of a search warrant at the Curtis’s residence, where electronic devices were seized, including two of Matthew Curtis’s cell phones. A forensic review of Matthew’s cell phones revealed a total of 429 images and 129 videos of child pornography, some of which depicted prepubescent minors and sado-masochistic conduct.
As a result of the sentencing, the Curtis brothers will serve 10 years in federal prison, followed by 18 years and 17 years of supervised release, respectively. Upon their release from prison, they must continue to register as sex offenders in the places where they reside, where they are employees, and where they are students, under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA).
Related Federal Cases
- Carl Javan Ross, Child Pornography Receipt and Possession, Maryland… · Vermont
- Michael John Bickel, Child Pornography Production, Maryland 2017 · Pennsylvania
- Brian Kenneth McCort, Child Pornography Distribution, Maryland 2023 · Maryland
- Michael Gene Reed, Child Pornography Possession, Maryland 2024 · District of Columbia
- Gary Rocky Jones, Child Pornography Distribution, Maryland 2020 · Maryland
Key Facts
- State: Maryland
- Category: Sex Crimes
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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