Tangent Man Charged With Sex Abuse and Child Pornography

Matthew Reece Sanders Photo: Linn County Sheriff

(TANGENT) - A Linn County man is in custody on $350k bail following his arrest for sex abuse and child pornography charges.

Linn County Sheriff Tim Mueller says Linn County deputies took a report of possible sex abuse as well as internet child pornography at a residence in Tangent on the afternoon of July 5th.

Mueller says that based on the initial report and statements from witnesses, deputies executed a search warrant at the residence of 41-year-old Matthew Reece Sanders.

After analyzing physical evidence located in the home, pursuant to the search warrant, the Linn County Sheriff?s Office charged Matthew Sanders with 35 separate counts of Encouraging Child Sex Abuse in the first-degree. Sanders was lodged in the Linn County Jail and is currently held on $350,000.00 bail.

Also seized in the search warrant were two computers. The computers will undergo a forensic lab examination by the Oregon Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force at the Department of Justice, scanning for child pornography and other digital evidence. Further charges stemming from the forensics exam may result.

The Linn County Sheriff's Office frequently works with the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force to complete forensic exams, detect and apprehend suspects, and provide Child Online Safety Education to children, parents, teachers, and community members.

The Oregon Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force is one of 46 Task Force offices nation-wide assigned with investigating and assisting local agencies with crimes against children investigations. The Linn County Sheriff's Office is one of more than 100 agencies that have partnership agreements with the Oregon ICAC.

Find out more about the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force at www.icactraining.org