Sex Offender Arrested in Menands for Attempting to Entice a Child

ALBANY, NEW YORK – Matthew Peters, a 45 year old sex offender from Schenectady, New York, was arrested yesterday and charged with attempting to entice or coerce a child.  

The announcement was made by Acting United States Attorney Antoinette T. Bacon and Thomas F. Relford, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). 

The charges in the complaint are merely accusations.  The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. 

The criminal complaint alleges that between October 2 and October 7, 2020, Peters initiated and exchanged sexually explicit text messages with an undercover law enforcement officer who was posing as a 14-year-old child named “Brandon” on a popular online social networking site.  After learning “Brandon” was 14 years old, Peters repeatedly asked “Brandon” for “nudes” and “live” pictures.  Peters also asked “Brandon” to meet him on multiple occasions and discussed engaging in oral and anal sex with “Brandon” when they met.  On October 6, Peters arranged to meet “Brandon” the following day in Menands, NY.  On October 7, Peters arrived at the prearranged meeting location in Menands, where he was encountered by law enforcement officers and arrested. 

Peters appeared in court today for an initial appearance before United States Magistrate Judge Christian Hummel.  Judge Hummel scheduled a detention hearing for Friday October 9, 2020.  Peters will remain detained pending that hearing. 

Due to Peters’ status as a convicted sex offender, the charge against Peters could carry a sentence of at least 10 years and up to life in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of supervised release of at least 5 years and up to life.  A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, and other factors. 

This case is being investigated by the FBI and its Child Exploitation Task Force, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Rachel Williams.