Pennsylvania man arrested for allegedly grooming 13-year-old online, having sex

An 18-year-old Pennsylvania man was arrested and federally charged over the weekend for allegedly grooming a 13-year-old girl online to share sexually explicit images, some of which depicted violent self-harm, authorities said Monday.

Authorities described Matthew Edward Pysher as a “sadistic” predator characterized by nihilistic violent extremism (NVE) and hatred of society, and harboring ideologies consistent with “764,” an online “bloody” group that promotes self-harm, sexual exploitation and violence among children.

The attacker was arrested late Friday when he met the girl at a motel in Santa Clarita Valley, Calif., and allegedly forced her to perform sexual and abusive acts on her, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California said.

“The individual arrested this weekend is one of a growing number of nihilistic violent extremists who prey on children and entice them to engage in inappropriate sexual acts and self-harm,” Akil Davis, assistant director in charge of the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office, said in a statement. he said.

“The FBI and our law enforcement partners are committed to finding and holding these sadistic predators accountable and ensuring they face the serious consequences of their despicable actions.”

Pysher, who had reportedly been meeting the victim online for at least three months, was arrested on February 20 after traveling to Los Angeles to meet her near her home and driving her to a motel in Castaic.

During his arrest at the motel, authorities seized condoms, knives, lube, razors, bloody wipes and a boarding pass for Pysher’s flight to Los Angeles. Law enforcement also found a Faraday bag, often used to block electronic signals, near Pysher’s cell phone.

The FBI told Fox News Digital that Pysher allegedly had sex with the girl and that the suspect cut her multiple times with a knife.

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The Department of Justice (DOJ) said law enforcement was able to arrest the suspect after the victim’s mother contacted the FBI on February 10, raising concerns that her daughter was being encouraged to harm herself.

She reported that her daughter was interacting with a person named “Matthew” on a Discord server for individuals struggling with mental illness. During the FBI’s investigation, agents found evidence that the daughter sent a photo that “cut herself to the bone,” she told Fox News Digital.

In 2025, the FBI launched an extensive investigation into the violent online network known as “764.” (iStock)

“Thanks to the swift and coordinated efforts of local and federal law enforcement and the determined action of an alert mother who immediately contacted law enforcement, this young victim was safely rescued and further harm was prevented,” Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert G. Luna said in a statement. he said.

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Based on a review of the victim’s smartphone and Pysher’s online activity, Pysher may be associated with the NVE ideology, whose members target minors, often via social media, to “share child sexual abuse material or gory material or manipulate victims to commit acts of violence.”

Victims are then frequently blackmailed into complying with NVE demands, according to the Department of Justice; these include self-harm, sexual acts, harming animals, sexual abuse of siblings and others, acts of violence and threats of violence, suicide or murder.

Authorities said NVE’s ideologies stem primarily from “hatred of society” and “the desire to bring about the collapse of society by indiscriminately sowing chaos, destruction and social instability.”

Friday’s arrest is part of an aggressive nationwide operation led by FBI Director Kash Patel against crimes targeting children online. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

Friday’s arrest is part of the FBI’s aggressive nationwide operation against crimes targeting children online.

The FBI told Fox News Digital it is seeing arrests at “never-before-seen levels” from 2024 to 2025; these include a 490% increase in NVE-related arrests, a 20% increase in 764 Network-related arrests, the closure of 4 million pedophile accounts on the dark web, and an 11% increase in child predator arrests.

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“Today’s announcement is the latest example of the FBI and our partner aggressively eliminating those who target our children across the country,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. he said.

“The prevalence of threats to children online, including the 764 Network, is one of the most significant issues in our country that not enough people know about; in 2025 alone, the FBI saw a nearly 500% increase in NVE arrests, a 20% increase in child victims identified, and a 23% increase in traffickers arrested.”

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