Man Pleads Guilty to Child Solicitation Charge in Stearns County

ST. CLOUD (WJON News) -- A Twin Cities man accused of soliciting a child for sex has pleaded guilty to one of the charges.

Thirty-six-year-old Matthew Sommers of Eagan was charged after allegedly chatting with an undercover officer from the Central Minnesota Human Trafficking Task Force.

Sommers has pleaded guilty to a felony charge of distributing sexual material to a child. Two other similar charges will be dismissed at sentencing.

According to the charges filed in Stearns County District Court, Sommers began chatting with the undercover officer, who was posing as a 15-year-old girl, in a chat room known for the solicitation of children. Court records allege Sommers turned the conversation toward a sexual nature and sent pictures of his genitals.

Get our free mobile app

A second undercover officer also set up a profile of a 15-year-old girl and says Sommers began soliciting them who he thought was a different 15-year-old girl. Records show he again sent nude photos of his genitals.

Investigators and members of the Eagan Police Department raided Sommers' house, seized electronic devices, and arrested him.

Sommers will be sentenced on July 24th.