Los Angeles man arrested in Springfield on three counts involving a minor

A California man accused of distributing a minor’s nude images on social media was arrested in Springfield on April 3 and charged with three federal crimes.

According to a release from the Sangamon County Sheriff's Office, evidence showed that Matthew M. Rodriguez, 24, of Los Angeles, California, traveled to Springfield to meet with the minor in question.

Rodriguez was charged with transportation of minors, enticement of a minor and transfer of obscene material to a minor.

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Sheriff Jack Campbell said that sheriff's deputies were notified in September 2022 that Rodriguez had been communicating with a Sangamon County-area minor child using an online platform.

It was also reported he had traveled from out of state to meet with the minor for sexual acts, according to the news release.

The sheriff's department has gathered digital evidence in the case, which has been transferred to U.S. Department of Homeland Security Investigations due to the federal offense of crossing state lines to meet a minor.

The sheriff's department worked with the Sangamon County Child Advocacy Center and the United States Attorney’s Office, Central District of Illinois, on the case.

Rodriguez is being housed in the Sangamon County Jail.

Contact Steven Spearie: 217-622-1788; [email protected]; X, twitter.com/@StevenSpearie.

This article originally appeared on State Journal-Register: Los Angeles man was arrested on three federal charges involving minor