A Tennessee man will spend the next five years in federal prison after a routine search at a Florida cruise terminal uncovered a massive collection of illegal files on his mobile device.
U.S. District Judge Paul G. Byron sentenced 41-year-old Matthew Leach to 65 months in federal prison for the transportation and possession of child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
The sentence, handed down in Orlando, follows Leach’s guilty plea entered on January 20, 2026. In addition to the prison term, the court ordered the permanent forfeiture of the cellphone used in the crime.
The investigation began when Leach encountered law enforcement while disembarking from a cruise ship. During a search of his belongings, officers discovered illicit images and videos on his phone.
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Leach later admitted to investigators that he had used various internet platforms to receive and download the material before his trip began. A follow-up forensic examination of the device eventually revealed hundreds of prohibited files.
The announcement of the sentencing was made by U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe. The case was a collaborative effort, investigated by U.S. Customs and Border Protection alongside the Department of Homeland Security. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Noah Dorman and Courtney Richardson-Jones led the prosecution, while the legal forfeiture of the hardware was managed by Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicole Andrejko.
This prosecution is part of “Project Safe Childhood,” a Department of Justice initiative created in 2006 to pool federal, state, and local resources against child exploitation. The program focuses on apprehending offenders while prioritizing the identification and rescue of victims.
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