A former Potosi, Missouri police officer appeared in federal court Thursday to face charges of sex trafficking, solicitation of child pornography and coercion and enticement of a minor.

Matthew N. Skaggs, 39, was indicted March 29 and arrested Wednesday. The indictment alleges that between January 1 and August 10 of 2022, Skaggs enticed or solicited three minors into engaging in a commercial sex act, solicited a visual depiction of a minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct and attempted to persuade a minor to engage in sexual acts.

A motion seeking to have Skaggs held in jail until trial says he gave vape cartridges to one minor in exchange for pornographic images, paid another via CashApp not to reveal sexual abuse and sexually abused a third minor. Skaggs met the alleged victims through his work as a police officer or committed sex acts while on duty or in uniform, the detention motion says.

Anyone who believes they are a victim or has information about other offenses is asked to call the Missouri Highway Patrol at 573-751-3313.

The sex trafficking and coercion charges are each punishable by a minimum of 10 years in prison and a maximum of life. The solicitation of child pornography charge carries a minimum five-year term and a maximum of life in prison. All also are punishable by a fine of up to $250,000.

Charges set forth in an indictment are merely accusations and do not constitute proof of guilt.  Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty.

The case was investigated by the Missouri State Highway Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jillian Anderson is prosecuting 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 the Department of Justice Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, 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.

Original source can be found here.