United States Attorney Erica H. MacDonald today announced the sentencing of MATTHEW ERIC DOLVEN, 31, to 360 months in prison for producing and distributing images and videos depicting his sexual abuse of a minor.DOLVEN, who pleaded guilty to a two-count felony information on February 26, 2019, was sentenced today before Judge Susan R. Nelson in U.S. District Court in St. Paul, Minnesota.

United States Attorney Erica MacDonald said, “Matthew Dolven’s egregious and despicable actions caused incalculable harm to the victim, harm that no child should ever have to endure. For his crimes, this child predator will spend the next 30 years in prison.”

According to the felony information and documents filed in court, between June 1, 2016, and June 27, 2018, DOLVEN sexually molested a minor victim and used a smartphone to record the abuse. DOLVEN used various social media platforms to distribute to others the child sexual abuse images and videos he produced.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.

If you know of any child who may have been a victim of exploitation, please call the National Center for Missing or Exploited Children (NCMEC) at 1-800-THE-LOST (1-800-843-5678) or visit NCMEC’s web site at www.missingkids.com.

This case was the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI, the Chippewa County Sheriff’s Office, and the Montevideo Police Department.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Laura M. Provinzino and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Carol M. Kayser prosecuted the case.

Defendant Information:

MATTHEW ERIC DOLVEN, a/k/a “VEECE07,” 31

Sherburne County Jail

Convicted:

Production of child pornography, 1 count

Distribution of child pornography, 1 count

Sentenced:

360 months in prison

20 years of supervised release

 

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United States Attorney’s Office, District of Minnesota: (612) 664-5600