Federal authorities have charged a Mahoning County man suspected of attempting to solicit pornographic pictures and videos from children and attempting to sell child pornography.

A complaint filed in U.S. District Court charges 27-year-old Matthew Bartchy of Smith Township with attempted sexual exploitation of children as well as receipt and distribution of child pornography.

An affidavit prepared by a Homeland Security Task Force officer says she was requested to help investigate tips from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children by the Ohio Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force.

More than seventy child pornography files were uploaded to electronic service providers between December 24, 2021, and January 26, 2022.

The files included photos and videos of nude female children, some engaging in sex acts with adult males.

A detective in Montana posing online as a 13-year-old girl alleges that Bartchy claimed to be a 14-year-old girl and offered to trade child pornography.

On March 14, 2022, agents searched Bartchy’s Ellet Road home, confiscating two cell phones and a laptop.

According to the affidavit, Bartchy admitted sending and receiving child pornography through the internet and attempting to sell some of those files.

Bartchy was arrested and charged with a dozen counts including pandering obscenity, importuning, and disseminating matter harmful to juveniles.

Those local charges were dropped after prosecutors learned that Bartchy would face federal offenses.

Held in the Mahoning County jail since his arrest last month on $100,000 bond, a detention hearing is set next week in U.S. District Court.