Negley man enters plea in child pornography case

A Negley man who was scheduled to begin a child pornography jury trial Tuesday instead pleaded guilty to seven of 11 charges he faced.
Forty-year-old Matthew Severs pleaded guilty to seven counts of illegal use of a minor or impaired person in nudity-oriented material or performance. Four voyeurism charges were dismissed.
According to a secret indictment, Severs allegedly took naked pictures of a child between January 2019 and November 2021.
During that same time period, Severs was accused of trespassing or invading the privacy of a child to videotape or take pictures of them while they were naked for sexual gratification.
He'll appear before Judge Megan Bickerton for sentencing on January 12. Prosecutors are asking for a ten-year sentence and also want Severs declared as a Tier Two Sex Offender.