LOS ANGELES
A former Redondo Beach resident on Wednesday is being held without bond on federal child sexual exploitation charges, federal officials stated.
He targeted girls on the internet and enticed them to engage in masochistic abuse for his sexual gratification, according to prosecutors.
Matthew Christian Locher, 31, was ordered detained Tuesday during an arraignment in U.S. District Court, according to authorities.
During that arraignment, Locher pleaded not guilty to an eight-count indictment that charges him with sexual exploitation and attempted sexual exploitation of a child for the purpose of producing a sexually explicit visual depiction, enticement and attempted enticement of a minor to engage in criminal sexual activity, and receipt of child pornography.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Locher targeted girls suffering from mental health issues, including depression, suicidal thoughts, and anorexia.
During internet conversations, Locher allegedly groomed his victims to engage in self-mutilation and, eventually, to become his “slave” or “pet.”
As alleged in the indictment, Locher enticed two of the minor victims to send Locher images of themselves committing acts of self-harm, which included cutting their breasts.
With one of the victims identified in the indictment, Locher allegedly used racial epithets to devalue the victim and entice her to self-mutilate.
Locher allegedly enticed a third victim, who was 12, to run away from her home in Ohio and travel to California to engage in illegal sexual activity with Locher.
This victim began a trip to California after setting a fire in her family’s home – an unsuccessful attempt to kill her parents in a plot Locher encouraged, prosecutors said in court Tuesday.
Locher – who used various screen names, including “The Hat,” “MattheHat,” “HeyThere,” and “Shark” – was arrested on January 10 in Indianapolis. Locher relocated to Indiana last summer soon after federal authorities executed a search warrant at his residence.
Following his arrest, federal authorities transported Locher to California, and he made his first court appearance here Tuesday.
According to a search warrant, Locher “enticed, encouraged, and instructed the victims to produce child pornography and child sexual abuse material in the form of sexually explicit images and video recordings of themselves to send to Locher over the internet, including through the use of Discord,” a voice and text chat platform.
Locher is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
If convicted, Locher is facing up to life in federal prison.
The FBI is investigating this matter.