Sex Offender Sentenced For Trying To Meet Teen Girl For Sex In Newport

Crime & Safety

Sex Offender Sentenced For Trying To Meet Teen Girl For Sex In Newport Prosecutors say Matthew Hoard, 40, of Smithfield, thought he was talking to a 14-year-old girl, but she was actually an undercover officer.

NEWPORT, RI — A registered sex offender from Smithfield was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison after admitting he tried to meet with what he thought was a teen girl in Newport.

Matthew Hoard, 40, was sentenced after pleading guilty to attempted inducement of a minor to engage in illicit sexual activity, possession with intent to view child pornography, and attempted transfer of obscene material to a minor. Following his prison sentence, Hoard must serve eight years of federal probation.

In July 2020, Hoard began texting and communicating online with an undercover Newport police detective he thought was a 14-year-old girl, prosecutors said. Prosecutors said the communications lasted more than two months and included Hoard sending a sexually explicit picture and sexually graphic messages.

According to prosecutors, Hoard repeatedly asked the "girl" to send him nude pictures of herself. He also tried to arrange a meeting with her for sex, prosecutors said.

In February 2020, while conducting an unrelated investigation, Rhode Island State Police learned from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children that someone uploaded child pornography to a social media platform. Prosecutors said investigators later learned the upload came from Hoard's IP address.

On Sept. 29, 2020, state police got a warrant to search Hoard's home and found a laptop and cell phone with videos and pictures of child pornography on them, prosecutors said. According to prosecutors, among the pictures was one exchanged between Hoard and the undercover Newport officer.

Hoard was already registered as a sex offender when he was arrested. In 2011, Hoard was convicted for possession of child pornography.

Have a news tip? Email