RIVERSIDE COUNTY, CA — A Hemet man was sentenced Friday to nearly 16 years in federal prison for catfishing a preteen girl he met on an online gaming platform and persuading her to send him sexually explicit photos of herself and a 5-year-old relative.
John Matthew Piecuch, 64, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge John W. Holcomb, who scheduled a restitution hearing for May 1.
The investigation unraveled after Piecuch met the 12-year-old Maryland girl on Roblox, an online gaming platform. Piecuch told the victim he was a 13-year-old boy, according to federal prosecutors.
In January 2021, Piecuch and the girl texted each other, during which time he persuaded her to send him sexually explicit images of herself. Piecuch also persuaded the child to take and send him sexually explicit photographs of her 5-year-old female relative, prosecutors said.
The pre-teen’s mother saw some of the text messages on her daughter’s mobile device, which prompted the woman to contact law enforcement, according to court documents.
The Carroll County Sheriff’s Office in Maryland assisted the FBI in the investigation of Piecuch.
“I’m very proud of my deputies for pursuing this case in conjunction with the FBI,” Carroll County Sheriff Jim DeWees said at the time of the 2021 indictment. “Parents beware and always be proactive with your child’s social media presence.”
Piecuch pleaded guilty in July 2024 to one count of production of child pornography. He has been in federal custody since August 2021, prosecutors said.
“Online games and platforms can allow child predators to hide behind fake identities and lure children into sharing private information,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph McNally. “It is critical that we hold these predators accountable and convey a message of zero tolerance for those who prey on our youth. I also urge parents everywhere to monitor their children’s online activity to ensure their health and safety.”
Once Piecuch completes his 188-month prison sentence, he will remain on supervised release for the rest of his life, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Sonah Lee of the Riverside Branch Office prosecuted the case.
