Matthew K Walsh Of Baltimore Indicted After Allegedly Using Female Aliases To Lure Minor Boys Online
BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- A federal grand jury this week has indicted a Baltimore man on federal charges of sexual exploitation of a minor, coercion and enticement of a minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct and the receipt of child pornography.
Matthew K. Walsh, 23, had an initial appearance Friday in U.S. District Court in Baltimore. The indictment was returned Wednesday and was unsealed following Walsh's arrest Friday, according to a statement from the Acting U.S. Attorney's Office.
According to the six-count indictment, beginning around November 2019, Walsh used text messaging, social media and a messaging application to meet and communicate with underage boys. The indictment alleges that Walsh would often pose as a female under the names "Linamarie" or "Mariel" in these exchanges and as "Islow6_5" on the messaging app. He would use these aliases to convince minors to send sexually explicit photos of themselves to him, according to the statement.
The indictment alleges that Walsh used his online persona from Nov. 4, 2019, to Dec. 23 to convince the first victim who was either 14 or 15 years old at the time, to send several sexually explicit photos and videos of himself. The indictment also accuses him of using this same female persona to persuade a second victim, who is 15 years old, to send sexual photos and videos between March 8, 2020, and March 12, 2020.
If convicted, Walsh faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in federal prison and a maximum sentence of 30 years for every 2 counts of sexual exploitation of a minor. He faces a maximum sentence of life in federal prison for each of two counts of enticement and coercion of a minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct and a mandatory minimum of five years in federal prison with a maximum sentence of 20 years for each of two counts of receipt of child pornography.
Walsh consented to arrest and awaiting a detention hearing which is scheduled for May 20 at 11:30 a.m.
Law enforcement believes that there may be more victims. If you believe you or a loved one was a victim, please contact the FBI Baltimore Field Office at 410-265-8080.
To report online child sexual exploitation, use the electronic Cyber Tip Line or call 1-800-843-5678. The Cyber Tip Line is operated by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children in partnership with the FBI and other law enforcement agencies.