JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Matthew Christopher Yates, a former eighth-grade teacher at Veritas Classical School in St. Augustine, has pleaded guilty to attempting to entice a 14-year-old to engage in sexually explicit conduct for video production.
According to court documents, Yates was arrested on March 11, 2022, after driving to a prearranged location in Jacksonville to meet the supposed child, who was actually an undercover FBI agent.
The investigation revealed that Yates, using the online alias ‘English teacher,’ engaged in explicit conversations with the agent, who was posing as a 14-year-old girl.
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Yates and the undercover agent exchanged messages and photos, with Yates suggesting they record their planned encounter.
The FBI arrested Yates when he arrived at the meeting location, finding condoms and a cellphone in his possession.
Yates, 30, faces a minimum of 15 years to a maximum of 30 years in federal prison, along with a potential life term of supervised release. His sentencing is scheduled for December 18.
This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a Department of Justice initiative to combat child sexual exploitation.
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