Hudson Valley Man, PA Woman Face Federal Charges In Sexual Exploitation Of Infant, Child Pornography: DOJ

KENT, NY — A Putnam County man and a Pennsylvania woman have been charged with "horrific" crimes by federal officials.

U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, announced the arrest of 38-year-old Cory Matthews, of Kent, on Wednesday, in addition to the indictment of 41-year-old Beth Saiers, a/k/a "Beth Young," of Lock Haven, Pennsylvania, on April 29.

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Matthews was taken into federal custody on Wednesday and presented before a judge in White Plains federal court, and detained.

SEE ALSO: Predatory Sexual Assault Against Child, Rape, Incest Allegations Lead To Arrest Of Putnam Man: Sheriff

Saiers was arrested in Lock Haven, Pennsylvania, on April 23, after a complaint was unsealed the same day. She was detained pending her removal to New York. A grand jury in New York returned an indictment of Saiers on April 29.

Matthews and Saiers were charged separately with sexual exploitation of an infant, which carries 15 to 30 years in prison; and the receipt and distribution of child pornography, which carries five to 20 years in prison.

"The charges here—sexual exploitation of an infant—allege horrific conduct," Clayton said. "Every New Yorker wants children protected from life-scarring conduct. We know our community wants this conduct investigated and, as appropriate, charged and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. The women and men of this Office are dedicated to that mission."

According to court documents, on April 16, law enforcement obtained a search warrant and executed a search of Matthews's home in Putnam County. One of the items seized during the search was Matthews's cellphone.

WARNING: Readers may find some of the following details from the Saiers indictment and the Matthews complaint disturbing.

Investigators say that the phone contained social media chats between Matthews and Saiers from April 14. According to the complaint, during one of the chats, Matthews sent a photo of a one-year-old girl to Saiers, who replied, "Put your d### in its face[.]"

Matthews then sent a photo in which the infant victim was in the background with a man's erect penis in the foreground, according to documents.

Prosecutors say Matthews then asked, "Now what," to which Saiers replied, "Take a pic of my pedo d### in front of the babies face[.]"

Matthews then sent several sexually explicit photos and videos of the infant victim to Saiers, who commented on the images and directed Matthews to engage in sexual acts with the infant victim, according to the charges.

On April 16, Matthews was arrested and charged in the Town of Kent, with promoting a sexual performance by a child, and possessing a sexual performance by a child.

On April 19, after the discovery of the photos and videos depicting the sexual abuse of the infant victim, additional charges were added, including predatory sex assault against a child, and first-degree rape, according to feds.

There may be other victims, according to federal investigators. If you have information about this case, you can contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324) or leave a tip, here.

Clayton praised the efforts of the FBI, the Putnam County Sheriff's Office, the Putnam County DA's Office, the Putnam County Child Advocacy Center Team, the Putnam County Department of Social Services, the New York State Police, the Town of Carmel Police Department, the Town of Kent Police Department, and the Lock Haven (Pennsylvania) Police Department during the investigation.

The prosecution is being handled by the Office's White Plains Division, with Assistant U.S. Attorneys Marcia S. Cohen and Jake Sidransky in charge of the prosecution.

"Crimes committed against children are among the most heinous crimes we encounter," Putnam County Brian Sheriff Hess said in April. "I commend our Bureau of Criminal Investigations for their swift and thorough work in bringing this individual into custody."