Manhattan District Attorney Alvin L. Bragg, Jr., today announced the indictment of MATTHEW HALSTEAD, 31, for sexually assaulting and trafficking a 16-year-old boy for approximately five months beginning in March 2024. HALSTEAD is charged in a 104-count New York State Supreme Court indictment with Sex Trafficking of a Child, two counts of Sex Trafficking, and numerous counts relating to Promoting and Possessing a Sexual Performance by a Child, in addition to Criminal Obstruction of Breathing and Endangering the Welfare of a Child.[1]
“These allegations are horrifying, and I thank my Office’s Human Trafficking Unit and our partners at the NYPD for thoroughly investigating and unraveling this alleged sex trafficking operation,” said District Attorney Bragg.
According to court documents and statements made on the record, from March 1, 2024, to August 6, 2024, the 16-year-old boy – who had run away from Child Protective Services – stayed with HALSTEAD in his Washington Heights apartment. During this time period, HALSTEAD repeatedly sexually assaulted and trafficked the child. HALSTEAD took numerous photos and videos of the child engaging in sexual conduct with himself and other men, and then used those photos and videos to solicit men to pay for sexual acts with the child.
HALSTEAD posted the photos and videos on publicly available social media accounts like “X,” formerly known as Twitter. He also used Telegram, an encrypted, anonymous messaging application, to not only seek out individuals who would pay to have sexual encounters with the child, but to attempt to convince other children to engage in sexual acts with him and to sell sexual acts to others. HALSTEAD exchanged sexually explicit images and videos of other children, some as young as toddlers, with Telegram users. In these conversations with unknown Telegram users, the defendant also discussed “trading” access to children with the users.
On August 6, 2024, police responded to what appeared to be a roommate dispute, and the NYPD’s Manhattan Special Victims Squad and the D.A.’s Human Trafficking Unit launched an investigation, which remains ongoing.
Assistant D.A.s Katherine Sullivan and Megan Mers are handling the prosecution of this case under the supervision of Assistant D.A.s Courtney Razner (Deputy Chief of the Human Trafficking Unit) and Jonathon Junig (Chief of the Human Trafficking Unit), and Executive Assistant D.A. Justin McNabney (Chief of the Special Victims Division). Senior Rackets Investigator Sean Ryan and Assistant Supervising Rackets Investigator Ariela DaSilva led the investigation, with Investigative Analysts Erin Kelly and Eva Nikitovic. Melissa Martinez provided valuable assistance.
District Attorney Bragg thanked the NYPD, particularly the Manhattan Special Victims Squad and Detective Julio Jimenez, and the 34th Precinct.
Defendant Information:
MATTHEW HALSTEAD
New York, NY
Charges:
- Sex Trafficking, a class B felony, two counts
- Sex Trafficking of a Child, a class B felony, one count
- Use of a Child in a Sexual Performance as a Sexually Motivated Felony, a class C felony, 18 counts
- Promoting a Sexual Performance by a Child, a class D felony, 54 counts
- Criminal Sexual Act in the Third Degree, a class E felony, 17 counts
- Possessing a Sexual Performance by a Child, a class E felony, 10 counts
- Criminal Obstruction of Breathing or Blood Circulation, a class A misdemeanor, 1 count
- Endangering the Welfare of a Child, a class A misdemeanor, 1 count
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[1] The charges contained in the indictment are merely allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. All factual recitations are derived from documents filed in court and statements made on the record in court.