Crime & Safety

Former Narragansett Officer Pleads Guilty To Obscenity Charge

Mathew Riley admitted he sent a Nebraska 15-year-old sexually explicit pictures and videos, the U.S. Attorney's Office said Thursday.

NARRAGANSETT, RI—A former Narragansett police officer has pleaded guilty in Providence federal court to sending obscene material to a minor. Mathew Riley admitted he sent a Nebraska 15-year-old sexually explicit pictures and videos, the U.S. Attorney's Office said Thursday.

Riley, 51, was the town's K-9 officer. He retired shortly after charges were pressed against him. State police raided his home and seized evidence.

According to court papers, sometime in 2015 and 2016 he sent the teen text messages and also communicated with her over Snapchat and Kik messenger. She told him she was 15 and in ninth grade. He called himself “Chris M.” and "told her he was 29-years-old, lived in Boston, was in the Navy, and worked as a physical therapist," the U.S. Attorney's Office said.

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The communications included "graphic, sexually explicit pictures of himself and videos of himself committing a sex act,"the U.S. Attorney's Office said.

He is due back in court for sentencing on Feb. 1. Riley could face 10 years in prison and a fine.

Find out what's happening in Narragansett-South Kingstownfor free with the latest updates from Patch.

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