Former Police Officer Sentenced To 8 Years For Distribution And Possession Of Child Pornography

 Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Mary S. Scriven today sentenced Matthew Enhoffer (35, St. Petersburg), a former police officer with the St. Petersburg Police Department, to 8 years and 1 month in federal prison for distribution and possession of child pornography. The court also ordered Enhoffer to pay a $10,000 special assessment pursuant to the Justice for Victims Trafficking Act of 2015. The court will determine restitution to the victims at a later date.

Enhoffer had pleaded guilty on February 11, 2020.

According to court documents, agents from Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) received a CyberTip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children that an individual had distributed child pornography on a web-based social media application. The investigation led agents to Enhoffer’s residence.

On September 11, 2019, HSI agents executed a search warrant at Enhoffer’s home and seized several electronic devices. An examination of Enhoffer’s devices revealed that he possessed a total of approximately 390 child pornographic images, 7 child pornographic videos, and 290 child erotic images. The images and videos depicted the sexual abuse of young children. A forensic analysis of Enhoffer’s laptop also revealed that he had distributed child sex abuse material to another individual via the internet in June and July 2018.

“It is especially disheartening when a law enforcement officer becomes the criminal but no person is above the law,” said Acting Deputy Special Agent in Charge Micah C. McCombs. “Thanks to HSI special agents and outstanding support from the St. Petersburg Police Department, this child predator will be held accountable for his crimes.”

This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lisa M. Thelwell.

This is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, 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. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.