Pennsylvania man sentenced to life for preying on children

PHILADELPHIA – A Collegeville, Pennsylvania, man was sentenced Thursday to life in prison for using the internet to entice minors into sex and for producing and distributing child pornography. The sentencing is the culmination of an investigation by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Limerick Police Department.

Authorities arrested Matthew Krapf, 45, in November 2013, and later identified five victims and more than 2 million child pornography images in his possession. 

Krapf was sentenced to life in prison for 10 counts of using or inducing a child to pose for child pornography, use of an interstate commerce facility to entice a minor to engage in sexual contact, three counts of distribution of child pornography, and one count of possession of child pornography. He was also sentenced to 10 years of supervised release.

Krapf met his victims online and directed them to sexually explicit chats. As early as December 2012, the defendant recorded Skype video chats, recovered in the investigation, which depicted the defendant directing one victim to masturbate for him. In the months that followed, the defendant met the victim at his parent's home and engaged in sexual conduct from their very first encounter. At the sentencing Krapf said he was being a “mentor” to young boys and was protecting them from being abused by other men.

A 13-year-old victim met the defendant online and engaged in sexually explicit chats from the beginning of their communication, even after informing the defendant that he was just 13 years old. The defendant videotaped his encounters and later distributed the videos over the Internet.

In October 2013, Montgomery County detectives received consent to take over one victim's identity and corresponded with the defendant on-line and via text messaging. The defendant, believing that he was speaking with the 14-year-old victim, made arrangements to meet him at his parents' home on Nov. 2, 2013 to again have sex. Krapf was arrested by Montgomery County detectives after he entered the victim's house.

When special agents seized his computers, cell phones, and collection of DVDs and CDs, a forensic exam uncovered millions of images of child pornography, including more than 100 videos that the defendant manufactured of the victim teenage boys. Krapf's collection is believed to be the largest ever seized in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.

Krapf admitted to meeting one victim on at least eight occasions during the summer of 2013 and engaging in oral sex, anal sex, and digital penetration. He also admitted that he knew the victim was just 14 years of age before he had any sex with him. Krapf told police that during the time he was engaging in the sexual abuse of this boy, he directed him to have sex with other juvenile boys, record the sex, and then send the recording to him, and to take nude and sexually explicit photographs of himself.

He also confirmed the July 2013 sexual abuse of the two minor boys, admitting that he engaged in oral and anal sex with these boys, knowing that they were minors, and videotaped the encounter. In his confession the defendant also admitted to sexually abusing at least four other underage boys. His abuse of these boys was over a nine year period, dating back to 2005.

“This predator used the internet to identify and begin the process of sexually exploiting his numerous victims,” said U.S. Attorney Zane David Memeger. “He then took full advantage of his vulnerable victims through a series of horrific sexual assaults over several years. His post-arrest admissions provide disturbing insight into the methods he used to entice his young victims for his criminal gratification. The sentence handed down today is the only way to guarantee that he will never again victimize an innocent child.”

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 10,000 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 2014, more than 2,300 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.

For additional information about wanted suspected child predators, download HSI's Operation Predator smartphone app or visit the online suspect alerts page.