Staff reports 9:44 a.m.
Wednesday, October 26, 2022 9:45 am
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PORTLAND, Maine - A former Navy sailor stationed at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard has beensentenced in federal court in Portland for sexually abusing a minor, the Maine U.S. Attorney Office announced today.
Matthew Boyd, 33, of Michigan was sentenced to five years in prison followed by five years of supervised release. Boyd pleaded guilty on Jan. 25.
According to court records, in August 2009, Boyd was a 20-year-old active-duty sailor stationed at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard when he began corresponding with a then 11-year-old on Myspace.
When the minor was 12, she visited Boyd at the shipyard, and the two engaged in a sexual act. In October 2020, the now adult victim reached out to Boyd with a therapist, and during the conversation, Boyd confessed.
"The passage of time will not shield sexual predators," U.S. Attorney Darcie N. McElwee said. "This case is a fine example of the diligence and commitment to justice we expect to see from our law enforcement community. It is critically important that regardless of the passage of time, sexual predators, particularly those who victimize children, are held accountable for their conduct within the bounds of the law. May the courage of this survivor be an encouraging message to those who have been similarly traumatized that they can seek and achieve justice."
The Naval Criminal Investigative Service investigated the case.