Huber Heights man gets 10 years in prison for distributing child porn

HUBER HEIGHTS — A Huber Heights man will spend years in prison after admitting to running an online group that distributed child pornography.

Matthew Sharp, 22, was sentenced to 10 years in prison for the distribution of child pornography, according to the Department of Justice. Sharp was also ordered to complete 15 years of supervised release and to register as a sex offender.

Sharp was contacted by an undercover law enforcement officer in October 2020 through an online group that was designed to allow its members to trade and view child pornography, according to court documents.

Between Oct. 1 2020 and Nov. 17 2020, around 400 users joined the group. Sharp was the creator and administrator of the group in charge of asking new users to “verify.”

>> Body cam shows arrest of teens after police find USPS mailbox key, stolen mail in Oakwood

On Oct. 1 Sharp sent the undercover officer a message asking him to “verify” by proving that he either possessed child pornography or that he had access to a child.

Sharp specifically asked the officer to send him a “live photo” of a child or pornography.

On Jan. 7 2021, federal agents seized Sharp’s digital devices and found evidence of child pornography. Sharp also admitted that he was the administrator of the group and that members of the group shared images with him that he distributed to others.

Sharp pleaded guilty on Sept. 8 2022.

©2023 Cox Media Group