Air Force Member Pleads Guilty to Federal Child Pornography Offenses

Tallahassee, Florida - Matthew Fooladian, 25, of Panama City, Florida, pleaded guilty in federal court to one count each of distribution, receipt, and possession of child pornography. The plea was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.

U.S. Attorney Heekin said: "These offenses are truly horrific because the innocent children depicted in child sexual abuse material are effectively re-victimized each and every time the images and videos of their abuse are viewed, shared, and distributed online. It remains one of my office's highest priorities to prosecute these disgusting offenders to the fullest extent of the law to achieve justice for those innocent child victims."

Court documents reflect that in September 2025, the Department of the Air Force Office of Special Investigations (OSI) at Tyndall Air Force Base sought the assistance of the Bay County Sheriff's Office (BCSO) in reviewing a cell phone seized from the defendant. While reviewing the evidence, BCSO located child pornography. With the assistance of the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) and electronic forensic examination by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), law enforcement determined the defendant exchanged child pornography with numerous other individuals via social media applications.

Fooladian faces a mandatory minimum of 5 years' imprisonment and up to 20 years' imprisonment for each count of distribution and receipt of child pornography, and up to 20 years' imprisonment for possession of child pornography.

Sentencing is scheduled for September 17, 2026, at 2:00 pm, at the United States Courthouse in Tallahassee, Florida before United States District Judge Mark E. Walker.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Meredith L. Steer and Joseph A. Ravelo.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC.

The United States Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation's principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of FloridaLinks to other government and non-government sites will typically appear with the "external link" icon to indicate that you are leaving the Department of Justice website when you click the link. website. For more information about the United States Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl.