Delaware Man Federally Indicted for Traveling to Sexually Abuse An 11-Year-Old Victim

WILMINGTON, Del. – David C. Weiss, U.S. Attorney for the District of Delaware, announced today the unsealing of a December 14, 2023, Indictment returned by a federal grand jury charging a Bear, Delaware man with traveling from Delaware to New Jersey to sexually abuse an 11-year-old victim after meeting and enticing the victim over the internet.

According to the indictment and publicly filed documents, on September 10, 2023, the Wayne Township New Jersey Police Department (“WTPD”) received a report of a missing 11-year-old victim. Through investigative measures, WTPD determined that Darius Matylewich, 27, of Bear, Delaware, took the 11-year-old victim from a New Jersey home to his home in Bear, Delaware.  In assisting WTPD, the New Castle County Police Department safely recovered the 11-year-old victim and arrested Matylewich.

Subsequent investigation revealed that Matylewich met the 11-year-old victim on the internet and communicated with the victim via the online video game Roblox and social media platforms Discord, TikTok, and Snapchat.  A forensic analysis of Matylewich’s cellphone and social media uncovered message threads in which Matylewich coerced the 11-year-old victim to perform sexual acts, and, in turn, produce child pornography, for him.  Investigators also recovered messages in which Matylewich described covertly watching and following the victim near a New Jersey home. 

Matylewich used an application on his iPhone to record conversations, videos, and images of the 11-year-old performing sexual acts that Matylewich solicited from the victim via Snapchat.  Further, Matylewich stored hundreds of videos and images of the victim within the “hidden” folder of his Apple Photos application, which is only accessed via Apple’s facial recognition, FaceID.

Matylewich is charged with Coercion and Enticement of a Minor and Production of Child Pornography.  If convicted, he faces a minimum of 15 years’ incarceration up to a maximum period of life imprisonment.  A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

In announcing the charges, U.S. Attorney Weiss and Acting Special Agent in Charge R. Joseph Rothrock of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office, commended the work of those who investigated the case, including the FBI’s Delaware Violent Crime and Safe Streets Taskforce, Passaic County Prosecutor’s Office, Wayne Township New Jersey Police Department, New Castle County Police Department, and the U.S. Marshals Service. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michelle Thurstlic-O’Neill and Kevin P. Pierce are assigned to prosecute the case.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Delaware. Related court documents and information is located on the website of the District Court for the District of Delaware or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:23-cr-102.

An indictment contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty in court.