Jonesboro, AR — (JonesboroRightNow.com) — April 18, 2025 — Police said a Jonesboro man distributed child sexual abuse material “approximately 94 times.”
According to the probable cause affidavit, the Jonesboro Police Department’s Internet Crimes Against Children Division received a cyber tip in which a Dropbox account had 13 videos of girls engaging in sexual acts. One video also reportedly depicted bestiality.
The affidavit said the video had been moved and added to the account as early as Jan. 25, 2018, and as late as Oct. 19, 2023.
Five other cyber tips with similar videos had been reported from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, which all traced back to the same IP address, which was shown to come back to a Jonesboro-based internet service provider, the affidavit said. However, the ISP was unable to provide any records on that IP address.
On one tip, there was a second IP address provided, in which the internet provider said returned to a residence in the 5200 block of Shasta Drive in Jonesboro. A warrant was issued for the email address associated with the Dropbox account, which returned photos of a man who appeared to be playing soccer at Joe Mac Campbell Park wearing a jersey with the name “Layton.”
Officers also found several emails addressed to 22-year-old Matthew Layton, as well as the IP address tied to Shasta Drive, confirming his identity. Also found were emails from Dropbox dated Oct. 19, 2023, the same day officers received the cyber tip that the videos were being moved, according to the affidavit.
Officers conducted surveillance on Shasta Drive, in which they determined Layton had moved to a residence on the 5000 block of Bedrock Drive.
On April 10, JPD received another cyber tip with the IP address returning to Layton’s residence on Bedrock Drive. According to the affidavit, after all cyber tips were combined, Layton distributed child sexual abuse material approximately 94 times.
On April 17, officers executed a search warrant on the Bedrock and Shasta addresses, seizing several electronic devices and placing Layton into custody.
Layton is charged with 30 counts of distributing/possessing/viewing matter depicting sexual conduct involving a child. During Layton’s probable cause hearing on Friday, Judge Tommy Fowler said that number could be increased based on the nature of the affidavit.
Layton was given a $100,000 cash or surety bond. He is to have no internet access and must wear a GPS ankle monitor. His next court date is set for June 27.
