A 24-year-old airman stationed at Tyndall Air Force Base has been indicted on federal child pornography charges.
The case includes allegations of receipt, distribution, and possession, each carrying potential decades-long prison sentences.
Federal and local agencies worked jointly on the investigation under Project Safe Childhood.
A Florida airman stationed at Tyndall Air Force Base is facing multiple federal charges following a grand jury indictment tied to child pornography offenses.
According to the District Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, Matthew Fooladian, 24, of Tyndall Air Force Base, was indicted on charges of receipt or attempted receipt of child pornography, distribution or attempted distribution of child pornography, and possession or access with intent to view child pornography. The charges were announced Tuesday by U.S. Attorney John P. Heekin.
Fooladian appeared for his arraignment in federal court before U.S. Magistrate Judge Martin A. Fitzpatrick in Tallahassee. His jury trial is scheduled for March 23, 2026, at 8:30 a.m. before U.S. District Court Judge Mark E. Walker.
If convicted, Fooladian faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison and up to 20 years on both the receipt and distribution charges. The possession charge carries a potential sentence of up to 20 years in federal prison.
The investigation was conducted jointly by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bay County Sheriff’s Office, and the Air Force Office of Special Investigations. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Meredith L. Steer and Joseph Ravelo.
Federal officials emphasized that the indictment represents an allegation, not a determination of guilt. Fooladian is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in court.
The case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide Department of Justice initiative focused on identifying offenders, protecting victims, and combating online child exploitation through coordinated federal, state, and local law enforcement efforts.
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