Ex-Fire Chief From West Deptford Admits To Collecting Child Porn

WEST DEPTFORD, NJ — A former fire chief from West Deptford accused of having more than 100,000 files of child pornography has pleaded guilty, according to court records.

Martin Matson pleaded guilty June 26 to second-degree endangering the welfare of a child. He faces a seven-year prison sentence, according to nj.com, which first reported the guilty plea.

Matson, 70, of West Deptford, was volunteer chief of the Green-Fields Volunteer Fire Company, which went defunct in 2021.

• Read more: Ex-Fire Chief In West Deptford Had More Than 100K Child Porn Files: Court Docs

In April, Matson was charged with third-degree possession of fewer than 1,000 files of child sexual abuse material. But further investigation revealed that he had more than 100,000 files, leading to first-degree possession charges in May, according to court records.

Detectives found more than 125,000 items of child sex abuse material and several pairs of young children's underwear while searching Matson's home, according to nj.com. Some of the underwear was soiled.

Matson admitted to downloading the material throughout the past 30-plus years and storing them on laptops in his basement and removable media, nj.com says.

He was jailed on May 8 and released after a pre-trial detention hearing six days later.

Under the plea bargain, Matson's charge was downgraded to second-degree child endangerment for possessing between 1,001 and 99,999 files of child sex abuse material.

Sentencing is set for Oct. 3.

Matson's attorney typically declines comment to Patch.