Summary: California attorney Steven Matlak has been charged with several child sex abuse crimes after reports from a number of victims have come forward.
Civil rights attorney Steven Matlak of Fresno, California has been arrested twice in two weeks for alleged child sex abuse. The 40-year-old, who was working at a large law firm, is now facing multiple felony charges for the crimes.
It is unknown at this time how many victims there are and the Sheriff’s office is not willing to state a number. What the Sheriff’s deputies would say is that Matlak’s victims were between the ages of ten-years-old and five-years-old. They have received reports from numerous children claiming that they were inappropriately touched by the attorney.
Matlak was an attorney at a major law firm in Fresno and he was also very active in his church, First Presbyterian. Tony Botti of the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office said, “Unfortunately, we come across cases every day where it’s people you put the most trust into and they deceive you and this is a prime example of that.”
The first report was from a five-year-old girl that came forward to the authorities two weeks ago. She claimed Matlak touched her and took a naked picture of her. A day later, a nine-year-old went to the authorities with the same claims. He was arrested on sex abuse charges but bailed himself out.
Detectives began their investigation while Matlak was released from jail. Botti explained, “They established more victims in the community interviewed them and their families and found out he had taken advantage of others.” They received more reports from victims that are connected to his family or are close friends. That was when the authorities rearrested Matlak at his home on Barstow and Fruit on charges of lewd acts with a child under 14-years-old and other sex charges involving a child ten-year-old or younger.
Botti said, “This is another case where Matlak had previous relationships where he knew the families and he used that for his advantage to take advantage of these kids. He was getting the girls to undress and once he had them undressed he was getting them to do things he wanted them to do so he could have power over them.”
The First Presbyterian Church’s senior pastor stated that Matlack has been a member of the church since 2009. The church’s website features a flyer advertising bible studies for children at his home where the kids could learn about God and go swimming. The flyer read, “Grab those goggles, swimsuits, and towels and join us for summer swim studies every Wednesday night beginning June 15 through August 10.”
The church is addressing the problem and administering to those that were affected. They stated, “We are deeply saddened and grieved by this entire situation. Our hope is that the truth is made known and that we can all work together toward restoration and healing.”
Matlak has not been employed with his law firm since he was first arrested two weeks ago. They released a statement saying they “are shocked by the charges against Steven Matlak. Our hearts go out to those who have been hurt by his actions.”
He is now being held on $380,000 bail at the Fresno County Jail. Investigators are serving search warrants at his former employer and his home, seizing his electronic devices for analysis of any evidence.
What kind of sentence would you like to see for Matlak? Tell us in the comments below.
To learn more about other attorneys charged with child sex crimes, read these articles:
- Attorney Christopher Young Charged with Child Pornography
- Attorney Claims Child Pornography Images Were Research for Sexual Graphic Novel
- San Antonio Attorney Charged with Compelling Prostitution and Sexual Assault of a Child
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