A Reno man has been sentenced to an aggregate 56 years in prison after pleading guilty in two cases: Attempted Sex Trafficking of a Child (8-20 years) and Luring, Attempt Use of a Minor in a Sexual Portrayal; Sales of a Controlled Substance; and Felon in Possession of a Firearm (14-36 years).

31-year-old Matthew Edwards (dob 7/23/93) was first arrested after detectives with the regional Human Exploitation and Trafficking (HEAT) Unit began to investigate him after he started an unsolicited conversation with an undercover detective posing as a 15-year-old girl back in December of 2022. Despite the detective saying they were 15, Edwards continued to chat with the assumed teen, sending increasingly sexual messages and videos over several weeks. In addition, the defendant would send the victim photographs of himself holding guns, saying that he was selling cocaine and other narcotics, and telling her how much money he was making from those sales, prompting the HEAT detective to contact a Regional Narcotics Unit (RNU) detective. In April of 2023, the RNU detective arranged a controlled buy of narcotics from Edwards, where they purchased 3.5 grams of cocaine. A few days later, Edwards was arrested by both RNU and HEAT detectives after he showed up at an apartment complex where he was set to meet the alleged teen.

Following Edwards arrest in the first case, the HEAT detective was contacted by a 22-year-old woman who reported that when she was 15 years old, the defendant began a sexual relationship with her. Over the next 2 years, Edwards physically beat the girl and at one point pulled his gun on her and fired a shot towards her. During the course of the abuse, the defendant solicited sex from the victim in exchange for controlled substances or alcohol.

Deputy District Attorney Darcy Cameron represented the State in both cases. During sentencing, she argued for the lengthy prison term noting that the defendant’s conduct in both cases clearly establishes that his behavior was deliberate and calculated and thus he poses an undeniable risk to the community. The Honorable Egan Walker presided and imposed the sentence.

Audio of Matthew Edwards press release