GREENBELT, Md. — An investigation conducted by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Baltimore and the Prince George’s County Police Department led to a 30-year prison sentence followed by 15 years of supervised release for a Maryland man for sexual exploitation of a child. Matthew Molnar, 47, of Hagerstown, received the federal prison sentence July 26 at the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland in Greenbelt.
Molnar was ordered to pay $18,000 in restitution and, upon his release, register as a sex offender in the places where he resides and where he works pursuant to the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act.
“Matthew Molnar’s actions are unequivocally reprehensible,” said HSI Baltimore Special Agent in Charge Michael McCarthy. “His behavior poses a significant threat to the safety and well-being of children in our Maryland communities. HSI Baltimore remains steadfast in its commitment to collaborate with federal, state and local law enforcement agencies to ensure that anyone engaging in such deviant and abhorrent conduct is brought to justice.”
According to the investigation, in 2015, Molnar was convicted of possession of child sexual abuse material.
In 2020 and 2021, he communicated with a Florida-based child victim and coerced the child to produce sexually explicit videos. In May 2021, Molnar traveled to visit the child, telling the victim, falsely, that he was 17 years old and was studying pre-law.
In February 2022, Molnar started communicating with a Maryland-based child, exchanging sexually explicit messages with her. Also, in February 2022, he had sexual intercourse with the minor on multiple occasions.
During a subsequent search warrant at Molnar’s house, authorities found multiple sexually explicit files that included the Maryland-based minor victim. In reviewing Molnar’s electronic devices seized during the search warrant, law enforcement also determined that he had distributed numerous files containing child sexual abuse material.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative established by the Department of Justice to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims.
This investigation was conducted by HSI Baltimore and the Prince George’s County Police Department. The case was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland.
Anyone with information about child sexual abuse material or other crimes is highly encouraged to contact HSI Tip Line at 877-4-HSI-TIP. Callers may remain anonymous.
Learn more about HSI Baltimore’s mission to increase public safety in our Virginia communities on X, formerly known as Twitter, at @HSIBaltimore.