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Hemet Man Indicted for Exploiting Children Online
RIVERSIDE, California – A federal grand jury has returned an indictment charging John Mathew Piecuch, a 61-year-old Hemet man, with three counts of sexual exploitation offenses.
According to court documents, Piecuch posed as a 13-year-old boy on an online gaming platform in late 2020, where he met a 12-year-old girl. He then convinced her to send him sexually explicit photos of herself, as well as a 5-year-old relative.
The victim’s mother discovered some of the text messages between her daughter and Piecuch on her daughter’s mobile device, prompting her to contact authorities. Special agents with the FBI arrested Piecuch on August 4, and he was ordered jailed without bond pending trial.
Piecuch is scheduled to be arraigned on August 24 in United States District Court in Riverside. If convicted, he could face a statutory maximum sentence of life in federal prison, with each of the three charges carrying a mandatory minimum sentence.
The investigation in this matter is being conducted by the FBI in conjunction with the Carroll County (Maryland) Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Sonah Lee of the Riverside Branch Office is prosecuting the case.
An indictment contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Key Facts
- State: California
- Category: Sex Crimes|Cybercrime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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