California man sentenced in Oklahoma to 17 ½ years in federal prison for sexually exploiting a child

TULSA, Okla. — A California man, with ties to Miami, Oklahoma, was sentenced Friday to 17 ½ years in federal prison for sexually exploiting a child.

This sentence was announced by U.S. Attorney Danny C. Williams Sr. of the Northern District of Oklahoma. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) investigated this case.

Matthew Thomas Chaffin, 32, pleaded guilty to the criminal charges May 16, 2016; he was indicted by a grand jury Jan. 8, 2015.

According to admissions made at the change-of-plea hearing, Chaffin, also known by his rap music alter-ego, “King Fobia,” coerced a 6-year-old to perform sexual acts upon him in a hotel room in Miami, Oklahoma; he filmed the abuse with his cellphone. Chaffin’s crime was discovered after a resident of Northeastern Oklahoma later came across Chaffin’s abandoned cell phone and reported to law enforcement that he found suspected child pornography on the phone.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Andrew J. Hofland and Jeffrey A. Gallant, Northern District of Oklahoma, prosecuted this case.

This investigation was conducted under HSI’s Operation Predator, an international initiative to protect children from sexual predators. Since the launch of Operation Predator in 2003, HSI has arrested more than 14,000 individuals for crimes against children, including the production and distribution of online child pornography, traveling overseas for sex with minors, and sex trafficking of children. In fiscal year 2015, nearly 2,400 individuals were arrested by HSI special agents under this initiative and more than 1,000 victims identified or rescued.

HSI encourages the public to report suspected child predators and any suspicious activity through its toll-free Tip Line at 1-866-DHS-2-ICE or by completing its online tip form. Both are staffed around the clock by investigators. From outside the U.S. and Canada, callers should dial 802-872-6199. Hearing impaired users can call TTY 802-872-6196.

Suspected child sexual exploitation or missing children may be reported to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, an Operation Predator partner, via its toll-free 24-hour hotline, 1-800-THE-LOST.