Fox TV News Anchor Matt Vereen Arrested for Child Pornography in South Carolina, USA
Matt Vereen, a 28-year-old sports reporter for FOX TV’s affiliate WACH FOX 57 in South Carolina, was arrested last Wednesday on charges related to the possession and distribution of child pornography. The state’s Attorney General announced the charges, which include three counts of sexual exploitation of a minor, on Sunday night, August 25.
According to arrest warrants obtained by WIS-TV, investigators from the Columbia Police Department, the Department of Homeland Security, and the state’s Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force discovered child pornography on Vereen’s laptop.
One of the warrants detailed that officers found a digital photo on his MacBook depicting a girl aged between 11 and 13 in a sexually suggestive pose. Another warrant revealed that Vereen had purchased a video lasting one minute and 32 seconds, showing a nude 13-year-old girl standing over a camera, as well as another video of a 13-year-old girl twerking naked in a bathroom.
Investigators were able to trace Vereen through records from Gmail, Apple, and other sources, with some details being redacted.
Vereen has worked as a sports anchor and reporter for WACH FOX 57 for nearly three years and previously held a similar position at KOLR, a news station in Missouri.
In response to the arrest, WACH FOX 57 issued a statement acknowledging the seriousness of the allegations and confirmed that Vereen has been placed on suspension pending further investigation. The station’s spokesperson added that no further comments would be made due to the matter being related to personnel.
Vereen was released on a $40,000 cash bond by the Alvin S. Glenn Bond Court, under the condition that he is prohibited from accessing personal internet or social media outside of work and cannot have unsupervised contact with minors.
If convicted, Vereen faces up to 30 years in prison.