LORAIN — A Vermilion man is facing 14 felony charges following an investigation into the alleged possession and distribution of child sexual abuse material, according to court records filed in Lorain County.
Matthew G. Rich, 40, of Altamont Road, was indicted by a grand jury on May 15 on a total of 14 charges. These include nine counts of pandering sexually oriented matter involving a minor or impaired person and five counts of illegal use of a minor or impaired person in nudity-oriented material or performance. The charges stem from evidence gathered during a search conducted in March.
According to prosecutors, the case began when the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (ICAC) referred a tip to the Vermilion Police Department earlier this year. That tip led to an investigation that culminated in a search warrant executed on March 12 at Rich’s residence.
A recently unsealed warrant filed in Lorain County Common Pleas Court confirms that a Samsung smartphone was seized during the search. Prosecutors allege that the device contained 13 images and one video depicting nude or sexually explicit content involving children. One of those videos had allegedly been uploaded by Rich to an instant messaging platform and shared with another user.
Court documents state that nine law enforcement officers were involved in serving the warrant at Rich’s home.
Following his arrest, Rich was released on a $30,000 personal recognizance bond. Bond conditions include house arrest and GPS monitoring, with supervision provided by the Lorain County Adult Probation Department and monitoring by Ohio AMS.
The case is now under the jurisdiction of Lorain County Common Pleas Judge Melissa Kobasher. Court filings show that Rich chose to waive his in-person appearance for arraignment. His attorney, Michael Stepanik, submitted a plea of not guilty on his behalf during the proceeding.
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