Sex offender sentenced to 14 years in federal prison for obscenity offense

Press release from U.S. Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Matthew Lee Ostrander, 36, of Missouri, was sentenced to fourteen years in federal prison following his conviction for possession of obscene visual depictions of minors. The sentence was announced by Jason R. Coody, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.

“This sentence is yet another example of the unwavering commitment to the protection of our most vulnerable and should serve as a significant deterrent to those who would attempt to harm them,” said U.S. Attorney Coody. “We will continue to work tirelessly with our law enforcement partners to investigate and prosecute those who prey upon our children.”

Ostrander was convicted by a federal jury on May 12, 2022. Evidence introduced at trial revealed that in September 2020, Ostrander was arrested in Gainesville, Florida for an outstanding warrant from Missouri. At the time of his arrest, he had also failed to register as a sex offender in the State of Florida. He knowingly possessed electronic devices that contained over three hundred computer-generated images depicting children engaged in sexual activity. The activity included sadistic and masochistic abuse and sexual intercourse with children.

According to court documents, Ostrander is a registered sex offender who was previously convicted of possession of child pornography on October 18, 2017.

“This twice-convicted sexual predator saved hundreds of heinous computer-generated images depicting children being sexually abused,” said HSI Jacksonville Assistant Special Agent in Charge K. Jim Phillips. “Working with our law enforcement partners, such as the Gainesville Police Department, HSI will continue to focus on identifying and prosecuting those who prey on our most vulnerable. This sentencing is another exemplary example of those efforts.”

Ostrander’s prison sentence will be followed by lifetime supervised release. He will also be required to register as a sex offender and will be subject to all sex offender conditions.

This conviction was the result of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations, the Gainesville Police Department, and the United States Marshal Service. Assistant United States Attorney Frank Williams prosecuted this case.