A 36-year-old Irish citizen, Matthew Liam Johnstone, has been extradited to Houston, Texas, to face charges related to the sexual exploitation of a child. According to U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei for the Southern District of Texas, Johnstone arrived in Houston on February 19 and is scheduled for his initial court appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jason B. Libby in Corpus Christi.
An indictment filed on August 6, 2025, accuses Johnstone of coercing a minor in September 2022 to create sexually explicit images and videos of herself. The indictment also alleges that these acts included elements of sadism and bestiality.
If convicted, Johnstone could be sentenced to life in federal prison and face a fine up to $250,000.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation led the investigation into the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs collaborated with Irish authorities to secure Johnstone’s arrest and extradition.
Prosecution is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick Overman along with Trial Attorney Adam Braskich from the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section.
“This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative the Department of Justice launched in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s CEOS leads PSC, which marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children and identifies and rescues victims. For more information about PSC, please visit DOJ’s PSC page. For more information about internet safety education, please visit the resources tab on that page.”
Authorities remind that an indictment is not evidence but a formal accusation; defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty through due process.
The U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Texas operates offices in several cities including Houston and Corpus Christi according to its official website. The office employs over 200 attorneys serving a population exceeding nine million across 43 counties as detailed online. It focuses on prosecuting federal crimes and handling civil cases for the government as stated by officials. Past leaders have included Alamdar Hamdani (2022-2025) among others according to its history page.
