Matthew Holland Held on Child Exploitation Charges

Matthew Holland, 28, of Newark, NY, is back in federal custody in the Western District of New York, facing a brutal slate of child exploitation charges after a digital dragnet exposed his predatory online conduct. Arrested July 17, 2020, in Leesburg, Virginia, Holland was arraigned today in Rochester before U.S. Magistrate Judge Marian W. Payson on charges of production, receipt, and possession of child pornography, along with online enticement of a minor. He’s been ordered held pending a detention hearing set for August 11, 2020.

The case began with a chilling report from the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office: Snapchat user “Tjohnson755” had been engaging in sexually explicit conversations with a 14-year-old girl, coercing her into sending nude photos. When the minor tried to pull away, Holland, identified as the account’s operator, threatened to release the images online unless she kept sending more. Through threats and manipulation, he continued extracting sexually explicit material—photos and videos—from the child, according to the criminal complaint filed by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle P. Rossi.

Investigators traced “Tjohnson755” through IP data and executed a search warrant on Holland’s Snapchat account, uncovering dozens of similar predatory exchanges with other suspected minors. On March 9, 2020, with help from the Newark Police Department and the Wayne County Sheriff’s Office, authorities raided Holland’s home in Newark, NY. A forensic sweep of seized digital devices revealed hundreds of child pornography images and videos—many depicting prepubescent minors. Worse, investigators found evidence Holland produced some of the material himself via his Snapchat account.

Inside his business, Illumination Images on W. Union Street in Newark, Holland had rigged hidden cameras in the dressing room, capturing customers—including minors—in various states of undress. He admitted to operating the business during the raid. The same pattern is suspected at the YMCA in Canandaigua, where Holland was previously employed. Investigators believe he may have conducted secret recordings at that location as well, though details remain under investigation.

Holland recently resigned from his faculty position at Newark High School, raising alarms about his access to minors in multiple community roles. The case, led by the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office under Sheriff Michael L. Chapman, involved cross-jurisdictional collaboration with police in Newark and Canandaigua, NY, and the Wayne County Sheriff’s Office under Sheriff Berry Virts. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) is now urging anyone with information about Holland or the listed social media accounts to come forward.

If convicted, Matthew Holland faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years in federal prison, a maximum sentence of life, and a $250,000 fine. The accounts linked to the case include Snapchat handles sheltonmoore47, steph.johnson12, tjohnson755, tj6340, timjohnson755, shelly4794, and s123m321; Skype user Tim Johnson tjohnson755; Instagram accounts timj755, sheltonmoore8945, bkingsbury755, and stephj8882019; and Facebook profile Josh Garmon. Tips can be sent to HSI at (716) 464-6070 or hsibuffalotips@ice.dhs.gov.

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