Man Accused Of Sending Sexually Explicit Photos To 13-Year-Old: Naugatuck Police

NAUGATUCK, CT — A South Carolina man accused of sending sexually explicit photos to a 13-year-old girl and demanding photos back from her was arrested late last week, according to Naugatuck police.

In a news release, police said they received a report in November of a several months-long relationship between a man and a 13-year-old girl that involved sending sexually explicit photos, as well as sexual conversation over electronic devices and social media.

According to police, investigators identified Matheus Gokey, 23, of Florence, S.C., as the man who both sent sexually explicit pictures to the girl and demanded sexually explicit photos from her.

Gokey also constantly spoke to the girl about sexual activity, knowing her age, police said.

After further investigation, officers found Gokey used grooming behavior to maintain control over the victim by way of false promises during the roughly six-month long relationship, according to police.

Gokey turned himself in to Naugatuck police Friday after learning of an active warrant for his arrest, police said.

Gokey was charged with promoting a minor in an obscene performance, enticing a minor by computer and risk of injury to a child.

He was held on a $200,000 bond and was arraigned in court Friday, according to police.

Police thanked the Florence Police Department for their help with the investigation.

The department also noted this case highlighted the dangers of engaging in online activity with unknown individuals.

"We plead with and encourage parents to maintain control of their children's electronic devices, as well as maintain control over and be aware of their children's social media and online activity," police said in a news release. "We cannot encourage parents and guardians enough to know specifically who their children are engaging in conversation with and sharing media to online. These cases often require extensive investigation and do not always lead to the identification of suspects. Once pictures are sent over the internet, they are out there permanently with no way to have it removed."