PROVIDENCE – A registered sex offender living in Woonsocket made an initial appearance in federal court on Friday, charged by way of a criminal complaint with possessing and accessing with intent to view child pornography, announced United States Attorney Zachary A. Cunha.

According to documents filed with the court, a member of the Rhode Island State Police Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force received information from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children that an IP address, later determined to originate from a Woonsocket residence where Matthew S. Hathaway, 25, resided, was allegedly being used to possess and transfer child pornography.

On March 16, 2023, members of the ICAC Task Force executed a court-authorized search warrant at Hathaway’s residence and seized a desktop computer and cell phone belonging to Hathaway. A forensic audit of the electronic devices by Homeland Security Investigations determined that the devices allegedly contained 7,984 images and 192 videos of child sexual abuse material.

A federal criminal complaint is merely an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Dulce Donovan.

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