Shippensburg Police Officer Pleads Guilty to Child Pornography Charges

Matthew S. Pleisse, a 36-year-old detective from Shippensburg, Pennsylvania, has pleaded guilty to possession of child pornography, the U. S.

Attorney's Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced. Pleisse entered his guilty plea before United States District Judge Robert D. Mariani.

In April 2025, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Pleisse's residence, seizing several electronic devices, including his personal computer and cell phone. A forensic analysis of these devices revealed that Pleisse used cryptocurrency to purchase child pornography from the darkweb. The material in his possession depicted prepubescent minors, according to the U.

S. Attorney's Office.

As part of his plea agreement, Pleisse is required to resign from his position with the Shippensburg Police Department within 10 days. Additionally, he is prohibited from seeking or accepting any position of public trust as a condition of his supervised release.

The investigation into Pleisse's activities was conducted by Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U. S.

Attorney Stephen W. Dukes is prosecuting the case.

This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, an initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. The project aims to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse by marshaling federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet. It also focuses on identifying and rescuing victims.

If convicted, Pleisse faces a maximum sentence of 20 years' imprisonment, in addition to a term of supervised release and a potential fine. The sentence will be determined by the judge after considering applicable federal sentencing statutes and guidelines.