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Press Release

Alabama Man Sentenced to Over 17 Years for Producing Child Pornography

For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, Western District of Texas

ALPINE – An Alabama man was sentenced yesterday to 210 months in prison for producing child pornography.

According to court documents, Matthew Jacob Metzler, 32, traveled to Arizona to pick up a minor and then brought the child to Pecos where he engaged in sexual acts with the child.  A search warrant was executed on Metzler’s cellular phone where child pornography photos along with a sexually explicit video Metzler made with the minor were found.

“Those who engage in crimes against children will be held accountable for their actions,” said U.S. Attorney Ashley C. Hoff.  “In February 2022, Metzler traveled to Arizona to pick up a minor and transported the child across state lines to Pecos, Texas.  While in Pecos, Metzler, who was living out of his car, engaged in sexual acts with the child. The child was ultimately located by law enforcement and reunited with family in Arizona. This was a great example of multiple agencies in the West Texas community working together to bring justice for a minor victim.  The U.S. Attorney’s Office will continue to work tirelessly to protect minor victims.” 

On March 24, 2022, Metzler pleaded guilty to one count of production of child pornography.  Metzler has remained in federal custody since his arrest on February 7, 2022.

HSI, along with assistance from the Pecos Police Department and the Texas Department of Public Safety Criminal Investigations Division, investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Amy Greenbaum prosecuted the case.

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 U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and 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.justice.gov/psc.

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Updated August 23, 2022

Topic
Project Safe Childhood