Matthew Joseph Lucio, Child Exploitation, TX 2024

Corpus Christi, Texas – A 30-year-old man is behind bars facing federal charges after allegedly preying on four underage girls, using digital deception, drugs, and violence to carry out repeated sexual assaults. Matthew Joseph Lucio was taken into custody and is due in federal court today before Judge B. Janice Ellington at 2:00 p.m., charged with two counts of online solicitation of a minor and two counts of production of child pornography.

According to a criminal complaint filed Feb. 16, in November 2017, Lucio used an internet messaging application to solicit a minor female for sexual intercourse. Law enforcement identified the victim, who confirmed she was abused. Days later, another report emerged: Lucio allegedly targeted a second minor through the same method. Investigators confirmed the identity of the second girl, who also verified the abuse had occurred.

A search warrant executed at Lucio’s residence led to the seizure of multiple digital devices. Forensic analysis uncovered video evidence depicting the sexual assault of two different minor females. Both victims were located and corroborated the abuse detailed in the videos. The complaint states Lucio not only recorded the assaults but used these recordings as part of a broader pattern of exploitation.

Even more disturbing, the complaint alleges Lucio drugged all four minor females before sexually assaulting them. The use of narcotics to incapacitate victims adds another layer of cruelty to the charges, painting a picture of calculated predation rather than isolated incidents. Authorities have not disclosed the type of drugs found during the search, but narcotics were seized alongside digital evidence.

If convicted, Lucio faces a minimum of 10 years and up to life in federal prison for each count of online solicitation of a minor, and a mandatory minimum of 15 years, up to 30 years, for each count of production of child pornography. He also faces a maximum fine of $250,000 per charge. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Hugo R. Martinez as part of Project Safe Childhood, a DOJ initiative aimed at combating child sexual exploitation.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations led the probe, with support from the Corpus Christi Police Department’s Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. The case underscores the ongoing threat of predators using digital platforms to exploit minors. A criminal complaint is not evidence of guilt—Matthew Joseph Lucio is presumed innocent until proven guilty through due process of law.