Columbia Sex Offender Sentenced to 20 Years for Sending Obscenity to a Minor

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – A Columbia man who is a registered sex offender was sentenced in federal court today for sending obscenity to a minor over Skype.

Matthew Ray Stone, 51, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Stephen R. Bough to 20 years in federal prison without parole.

Stone is required to register as a sex offender following his military court martial in 2001 for sodomy with a child, indecent acts or liberties with a child, and possession of child pornography. He was also convicted in state court in 2015 of possessing child pornography and failing to register as a sex offender.

On Feb. 17, 2022, Stone pleaded guilty to one count of transferring obscene materials to a minor and to an additional count of committing the offense as a registered sex offender.

The investigation began when a Boone County sheriff’s detective received a CyberTip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children that Stone had uploaded an image of child pornography to his Skype account. A search warrant was executed at Stone’s residence and officers found Stone’s laptop computer was currently logged into his Skype account. A computer forensic examiner located Skype conversations in which Stone discussed sexual fantasies involving children.

Stone acknowledged he did not report his Skype account as required by his sex offender registration. Officers seized Stone’s electronic devices and investigators discovered several chat conversations that were sexually explicit, including conversations with juveniles. Stone admitted that he sent sexually explicit images of himself to a minor via Skype, and discussed the minor running away from home and staying with him. Stone also possessed child erotica and child pornography depicting children as young as infants and toddlers.

Stone was arrested and convicted in state court of possessing child pornography and failing to register as a sex offender. He was judged to be a sexually violent predator and involuntarily civilly committed within the Missouri Department of Mental Health for treatment. Stone will be subject to federal incarceration upon his release from the Sex Offender Rehabilitation and Treatment program.

According to court documents, Stone was dishonorably discharged from the United States Air Force on July 1, 2008, following his 2001 court martial and incarceration. While an enlisted member of the Air Force, he had been involved with the Big Brothers/Big Sisters program. When Stone turned in his military-assigned computer, it contained 44 images of child pornography and more than 900 pages of email communications containing sexually explicit stories that involved young boys. At least four children were identified as victims of Stone’s sexual abuse.

This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashley S. Turner. It was investigated by the Boone County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department and the FBI.

Project Safe Childhood

This case was 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.usdoj.gov/psc . For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."