OKLAHOMA CITY – MATTHEW DOUGLAS ARMISTEAD, age 62, of Moore, Oklahoma, pleaded guilty yesterday to possession of material containing child pornography that involved a prepubescent minor.
On December 8, 2021, Mr. Armistead was charged by a superseding information with possessing an external hard drive containing child pornography that involved a prepubescent minor. On July 6, 2021, a federal grand jury sitting in the Western District of Oklahoma returned a one-count Indictment that charged Mr. Armistead with knowing receipt of child pornography.
Yesterday, Mr. Armistead pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Patrick Wyrick to the same charge alleged in a Superseding Information. As part of his plea, Mr. Armistead admitted that he possessed an external hard drive containing images of child pornography that involved a prepubescent minor in August 2021.
Mr. Armistead faces up to 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, at least five years of supervised release, and a $22,100 special assessment. Sentencing will take place in approximately 90 days. Mr. Armistead will have to register as a sex offender under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act.
This case is the result of an investigation by the United States Postal Inspection Service. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Bow Bottomly.
This case is part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative by the Department of Justice (DOJ) to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the DOJ Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, PSC 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 PSC, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Reference is made to court filings for further information.