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Bedford Man Sentenced to 15 Years for Attempted Sexual Exploitation of a Minor
CONCORD – A 49-year-old man from Bedford has been sentenced to 15 years in federal prison for attempting to sexually exploit a minor, Acting United States Attorney John J. Farley announced today.
Matthew Dion was sentenced to 15 years in prison, in addition to a 5-year term of supervised release, $30,000 in restitution to his victim, and a $5,000 assessment fee. Dion previously pleaded guilty on May 11, 2021.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on or about April 19, 2020, the Bedford Police Department was contacted by a representative of an organization that facilitates foreign exchange students traveling to the United States and residing with American host families.
The representative reported that a 15-year-old student, who resided in Dion’s home, believed he had been recorded by Dion while he showered. The child had found what he believed to be a camera hidden inside a device that looked like a pen in the bathroom he used in the residence.
On April 28, 2020, officers executed a search warrant at Dion’s residence and seized various items including a Micro SD card from Dion’s vehicle. On the device, officers found images of the child taken in the bathroom as the child was getting out of the shower. At least one of these images was sexually explicit in that the focal point was the child’s genital area.
“This defendant’s sexual exploitation of a minor was reprehensible conduct that merited this serious prison sentence,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Farley. “By placing a hidden camera in a bathroom, the defendant stole the innocence of a young teen and betrayed the trust of the family that had agreed to let this foreign exchange student live in the defendant’s home.”
“Homeland Security Investigations is pleased with today’s sentence. Attempting to sexually exploit a minor is always wrong, but doing so under the façade of participation in a foreign student exchange program only adds to the damaging impact of the crime in this case,” said Matthew B. Millhollin, Special Agent In Charge, Homeland Security Investigations, (HSI), Boston.
This matter was investigated by the Bedford Police Department, the New Hampshire Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Milford Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Georgiana L. MacDonald and Kasey Weiland.
“In February 2006, the Department of Justice introduced Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet,” the U.S. Attorney’s Office said.
Key Facts
- State: New Hampshire
- Category: Sex Crimes|Violent Crime|Cybercrime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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