FARMINGTON — A local man pleaded guilty Thursday to possessing sexually explicit material of children under age 12.

Michael C. Matie, 44, of Farmington entered the guilty plea in Farmington Unified Court. A charge of dissemination of sexually explicit material was dismissed in the agreement.

Matie was indicted on the charges in April, stemming from incidents between June 14, 2022, and Aug. 4, 2023.

Franklin County sheriff Detective Jacob Richards, an affiliate of the state Computer Crimes Task Force, investigated the case and found several images of child pornography on Matie’s electronic devices, according to evidence District Attorney James Andrews would have presented if the case went to trial. Richards would testify that Matie admitted to having sexually explicit images of minors on his electronic devices, according to Andrews.

Justice Nancy Mills sentenced Matie to three years with all but one year suspended followed by four years of probation.

Matie cannot have contact with children under age 18. He also must undergo sexual offender counseling and submit to random searches of electronic devices.

He also must comply with the state’s Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act.

Mills ordered the electronic devices on which the images were found to be forfeited.

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