An Irish citizen is facing severe legal consequences in the United States; 36-year-old Matthew Liam Johnstone has been indicted on multiple charges relating to the sexual exploitation of a minor. U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei detailed the indictment involving coercion and enticement of a child to produce graphic images of a uniquely disturbing nature. This indictment alleges that in September of last year, Johnstone compelled a minor to both film and photograph herself in acts of a sexually explicit and sadistic manner.
Now facing a potential life sentence, the gravity of these charges against Johnstone is underscored by the maximum $250,000 fine that each count carries if convicted; his future hangs in the balance of federal law enforcement's commitment to eradicating sexual crimes against children, and it is the FBI's Child Exploitation Operational Unit – Criminal Investigative Division that shouldered the investigation that led to these charges, as reported by the Department of Justice.
Working towards justice for the unnamed victim, the prosecutorial team comprising Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick Overman and Trial Attorney Adam Braskich of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) is determined to bring this case to a close under the auspices of the national initiative Project Safe Childhood, a much broader struggle against the epidemic of child exploitation.
Project Safe Childhood isn’t just about punishment—it also aims to educate and protect the community. You can learn more by visiting the DOJ’s PSC page, where the resources section offers helpful information and tools to help the public protect children from harm.
