CANYON COUNTY, Idaho — A Nampa pastor accused of possessing and distributing child pornography, and of using technology to create sexually explicit images of minors, was back in court Wednesday morning.
Matthew Masiewicz, who worked at Sovereign Grace Fellowship in Nampa, entered a not guilty plea during his arraignment in Canyon County District Court.
Click here to see the latest on the Nampa pastor who pleaded not guilty:
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Masiewicz was arrested in September and faces 13 felony charges. Twelve counts relate to the distribution and possession of child sexually exploitative material, each carrying up to 30 years in prison, fines of up to $50,000, civil penalties up to $5,000, and mandatory registration as a sex offender if convicted.
The 13th count alleges Masiewicz used artificial intelligence to create sexually explicit images that made adult content appear to involve a minor, carrying a potential sentence of up to five years in prison.
“When you're facing multiple charges, there's the possibility that you'll be convicted of more than one charge. The court could enter a sentence that would be either consecutive or concurrent on those charges,” said Brent Whiting, the presiding judge.
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Masiewicz remains in custody on a $2 million bond and is under a no-contact order for all minors.
Investigators with Idaho’s Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force say some of the illegal content was distributed using the Kik messaging app, and some was uploaded from Masiewicz’s church IP address.
Court documents also indicate Masiewicz initially denied involvement but later admitted to using AI to modify adult pornography to appear as minors. Authorities say he did not have physical contact with any children.
Masiewicz is scheduled to return to court on Jan. 20 for a pretrial conference, with a jury trial set to begin on Feb. 23.
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