Former St. Petersburg Police Officer Pleads Guilty To Distribution And Possession Of Child Pornography

Tampa, Florida – Matthew Enhoffer (34, St. Petersburg) today pleaded guilty to distribution and possession of child pornography. He faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 5 years, and up to 20 years, in federal prison.

According to court documents, agents from Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) received a CyberTip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children that an individual had distributed child pornography on a web-based social media application. The investigation led agents to Enhoffer’s residence.

On September 11, 2019, HSI agents executed a search warrant at Enhoffer’s home and seized several electronic devices. An examination of Enhoffer’s devices revealed that he possessed approximately 391 images and 7 videos depicting child pornography, and 293 images of child erotica. The images and videos depicted young children engaged in sexually explicit conduct. A forensic analysis of Enhoffer’s laptop also revealed that he had distributed child sex abuse material to another individual via the internet in June and July 2018.

This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lisa M. Thelwell.

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