United States Attorney James T. Jacks
Northern District of Texas

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 20, 2010
http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/txn/

FORMER DALLAS COUNTY DETENTION OFFICER INDICTED FOR
ENTICING MINOR GIRL TO ENGAGE IN SEXUAL ACTS

FORT WORTH, Texas — Roy Mathew, of Rowlett, Texas, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Fort Worth on one count of enticement of a child, announced U.S. Attorney James T. Jacks of the Northern District of Texas. Following a detention hearing held today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Charles Bleil, Mathew was released on a personal recognizance bond, with conditions.

The indictment alleges that between September 1, 2009 and September 14, 2009, Mathew used the Internet to knowingly persuade, induce and entice an individual, whom he believed to be 13-years-old, to engage in sexual activity.

According to testimony presented at today’s hearing, in September 2009, an officer with the Fort Worth Police Department, working in an undercover capacity and posing as a 13-year-old female, entered a Yahoo! chat room and was contacted by Roy Mathew, who was using the screen name “anything_dfw.” Less than 10 minutes into this first online chat, with someone whom he thought was a 13-year-old girl, the conversation turned sexual in nature and Mathew exposed his genitals while masturbating via webcam.

Further testimony revealed that more online chats ensued, and on multiple occasions, Mathew attempted to persuade, induce or entice the 13-year-old to engage in sexual activity with him. During the last online chats, Mathew provided his telephone number to the 13-year-old.

According to additional testimony at today’s hearing, on September 11, 2009, Mathew contacted the undercover officer to set up a meeting in Fort Worth. As discussed during the online chats, Mathew was to bring condoms and a digital camera. The meeting was set in a public location. After Mathew arrived, however, he left the area when the undercover officer stated that he had to cancel the meeting. Mathew was then arrested. Located in Mathew’s vehicle after his arrest were condoms and a digital camera. At the time of his arrest, Mathew was employed as a Dallas County Detention Officer.

 An indictment is an accusation by a federal grand jury and a defendant is entitled to the presumption of innocence unless proven guilty. However, if convicted, Mathew faces a maximum statutory sentence of not less than 10 years and up to life in prison, a $250,000 fine and a lifetime of supervised release. His trial is set for March 22, 2010, before U.S. District Judge John H. McBryde.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov

U.S. Attorney Jacks praised the investigative efforts of the Fort Worth Police Department and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alex C. Lewis is prosecuting the case.

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