A local South Carolina sports reporter was arrested last week after authorities discovered child sexual abuse material involving an underage girl on his laptop, according to prosecutors.
Matt Vereen, 28, was charged with sexual exploitation of a minor on Wednesday and subsequently suspended from his on-air job at WACH Fox 57.
The journalist, of Columbia, allegedly had a disturbing image of an underage girl between the ages of 11 and 13 on his Apple computer, according to an arrest warrant obtained by WIS.
He also allegedly solicited the purchase of a pair of roughly 90-second sexually explicit clips of naked girls around the age of 13 years old on July 11, 2023, according to two other arrest warrants.
“WACH FOX News understands the severity of these allegations and Vereen has been placed on suspension pending an investigation,” Vereen’s employer said in a statement. “As this is a personnel matter, the station will not be commenting further at this time.”
He was charged with two counts of second-degree sexual exploitation of a minor and one count of third-degree sexual exploitation of a minor, all felonies, the South Carolina State Attorney General’s Office said.
He could face up to three decades in prison if convicted.
Vereen was apparently on the job the day before his arrest covering the start of the University of South Carolina’s football season.
The alleged pervert graduated from the University of Missouri and is a Carolina native, according to his Facebook page.
He put up a $40,000 surety bond and was released from jail the day after his arrest, the Post and Courier reported.