PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. — A man from Ponte Vedra Beach accused of sexual battery on a 12-year-old girl earlier this year is now charged with possession of child sexual abuse images.
According to an arrest warrant from the St. Johns County Sheriff's Office, 20-year-old Matthew Charles Webster was arrested last Tuesday, June 15, on 10 counts of possession of obscene material. Webster was already under investigation for a charge of lewd or lascivious battery on a child.
Webster was arrested on the initial charge March 30. While digital forensics investigators were examining Webster's phone during that investigation, they found child sexual abuse imagery, the warrant says.
During the investigation, police discovered 104 images with the timestamp July 12, 2020, "some depicting child erotica and others depicting child sexual abuse imagery ... all of the same juvenile female child who appeared to be pre-pubescent," the warrant says.
The arrest warrant for Webster's previous charge of raping a 12-year-old states the child met Webster via Snapchat sometime last year and that Webster sold vape pens and marijuana to children around that age.
The report says the victim told police she invited Webster to her home, where they engaged in sex. The encounter was reportedly recorded by the victim's friend and sent to other people on Snapchat, the warrant says.
The following day, the documents say Webster bought 'Plan B' for the victim.
Police records show Webster was released on a $25,000 bond for the March charge.
A judge set Webster's bond on the new charges at $150,000, $15,000 per count. He was released from St. Johns County jail later that day, according to jail records.
Webster was ordered not to possess any electronic devices to include, but not limited to, a smartphone, tablet or computer, according to the June arrest warrant.
Webster's arraignment is set for July 26 at 1:30 p.m.