An Oskaloosa resident, Matthew Scott Beal, 42, has been sentenced to 18 years in federal prison following his conviction for the sexual exploitation of a child. The sentencing took place on September 10, 2025.
Court documents indicate that Beal produced child pornography involving a minor and distributed four videos containing child pornography over the internet to an undercover law enforcement account operated by Homeland Security’s Newark Child Exploitation Task Force. Authorities seized Beal’s phone during a search of his residence in Oskaloosa, uncovering more than 100 images and videos depicting child pornography, including material showing prepubescent children engaged in sex acts with adults.
After serving his prison sentence, Beal will be subject to five years of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay $15,938.50 in restitution to multiple victims. There is no parole in the federal system.
United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa announced the sentencing. The investigation involved the Department of Homeland Security Homeland Security Investigations Newark Child Exploitation Group, the Oskaloosa Police Department, and the Iowa Department of Public Safety Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force.
The prosecution was part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched by the Department of Justice in May 2006 aimed at combating child sexual exploitation and abuse. The program brings together federal, state, and local resources to identify offenders and rescue victims. Additional information about Project Safe Childhood can be found at https://www.justice.gov/psc.
