Registered sex offender charged with multiple child sexual exploitation offenses

A registered sex offender living in Smithfield was ordered detained by a federal magistrate judge Tuesday after a federal grand jury returned an indictment charging him with multiple child sexual exploitation offenses. Mathew Hoard, 35, was charged in a five-count indictment with Attempted Enticement of A Minor to Engage in Criminal Sexual Activity; Attempted Transfer of Obscene Material to a Minor; Distribution and Possession of Child Pornography; and Committing Offenses While Required to Register as a Sex Offender.

According to court documents and information presented to the court, Hoard was convicted of possession of child pornography in Rhode Island Superior Court in 2010 and sentenced to five years of probation and required to register as a sex offender. According to information received by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, in February 2020 an individual uploaded child pornography to a social media application. Members of the Rhode Island State Police Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (ICAC) traced the upload to Hoard.

Meanwhile, in a separate ICAC investigation, Hoard was allegedly communicating via a social media application with an individual he believed was a 14-year-old girl. Hoard allegedly sent obscene images to the 14-year-old; requested the 14-year-old send nude images of herself to him; said he wanted to marry her, and repeatedly asked the 14-year-old to meet for sex. Court-authorized searches discovered electronic media devices owned by Hoard that allegedly contained child pornography and other evidence related to the case.

Hoard was arrested on Tuesday by members of the ICAC and Homeland Security Investigations and was ordered detained by United States Magistrate Judge Lincoln D. Almond following an initial court appearance in U.S. District Court, announced Acting United States Attorney Richard B. Myrus.

If convicted as charged, Hoard faces a mandatory minimum sentence of at least 15 years in federal prison.