CANYON COUNTY, Idaho — A former Nampa pastor charged with multiple felonies involving child sexual abuse material has pleaded guilty in Canyon County District Court, avoiding a trial that had been scheduled for later this month.
Matthew Masiewicz, formerly a pastor at Sovereign Grace Fellowship in Nampa, pleaded guilty to four felony counts related to the possession and distribution of child sexual abuse material.
In court, Masiewicz entered a guilty plea to three counts of distribution and one count of possession under a binding Rule 11 plea agreement, while nine other charges remain pending.
WATCH: Former Nampa pastor Matthew Masiewicz enters guilty plea
During the hearing, Masiewicz addressed Judge Whiting while acknowledging his actions. "The night that I was arrested, I told my children that I would own my crime. Sir, with respect to your office and me wanting to keep my vow, may I stand and confess those crimes?" Masiewicz said.
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Watch the full hearing below —
As previously reported, Masiewicz was originally charged with 13 felony counts, including an allegation involving the use of artificial intelligence to generate explicit images appearing to involve a minor.
Court records indicate Masiewicz admitted to possessing multiple images of child sexual abuse material and distributing several of those images through an online platform.
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Sentencing will determine the length of Masiewicz’s prison term. The plea agreement caps the court’s sentence at a unified term of up to 20 years in prison, though the judge will determine the final sentence after reviewing a pre-sentence investigation.
During the hearing, the judge questioned Masiewicz to ensure he understood the constitutional rights he was waiving by pleading guilty, including his right to a trial and his right to appeal. Masiewicz told the court he understood and was entering the plea voluntarily.
“The distribution of child sexually exploited material — how do you plead?” Judge Brent L. Whiting asked in court. Masiewicz responded, “I plead guilty, Your Honor”
“Were they distributed to other people or persons in any way?" Judge Whiting asked. “Yes, sir, on a Kik chat,” Masiewicz responded.
The judge ordered a pre-sentence investigation, a process that typically takes several weeks. Masiewicz is scheduled to return to court for sentencing on April 2 at 8:30 a.m. at the Canyon County Courthouse.
Masiewicz remains in custody on a $2 million bond and is subject to a no-contact order with all minors.
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