Matthew Edward Pysher Charged in Federal Case Alleging Online Grooming and Interstate Travel

An 18-year-old man from Bangor, Pennsylvania, Matthew Edward Pysher, has been federally charged in a case in the Central District of California. Authorities allege he groomed a 13-year-old girl online through Discord, encouraged her to engage in acts of self-harm, and traveled across state lines to meet her at a California motel. 

According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California, Pysher is charged in a federal criminal complaint with travel with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct. The charge carries a potential sentence of up to 30 years in federal prison. 

Allegations Against Matthew Edward Pysher 

Federal authorities allege that Pysher began grooming the minor in or around December 2025 through the online platform, Discord. Investigators state that the child encountered him in a Discord server related to mental health. 

He allegedly encouraged her to self-harm, “send him sexually explicit material and images of self-harm,” and also “set up a Discord server where she could be filmed.”

Eventually, Pysher traveled to Los Angeles, California, from Bangor, Pennsylvania, on February 20, 2026. Along with his co-conspirator, he picked up the victim near her home and took her to the Rodeway Inn Motel in Castaic, California.  

The investigation reportedly began on February 10, 2026, after the child’s mother contacted the FBI with concerns that her daughter had been encouraged to harm herself by an individual she met online, according to Akil Davis, the Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office. 

The mother reported reviewing messages on her daughter’s devices showing that the individual, identified in the complaint as “Matthew,” (later linked to Matthew Edward Pysher) had “encouraged [the victim] to cut herself and engage in other acts of self-harm” through communications on Discord. The communications were exchanged under the username “Piano.Man.”  The affidavit outlines specific directions that Pysher gave to the victim on how to harm herself. 

On February 20, shortly after agents arrived to collect the minor’s digital devices, the victim’s grandfather discovered a suicide note and learned that the child had run away, prompting urgent law enforcement action.

Law enforcement located Pysher at the Rodeway Inn Motel, in Castaic, California, where they entered the room and found him with the alleged victim. The victim told authorities that Pysher “came to California to see her and that they had planned on committing suicide together but were unable to do so before being found by law enforcement.”

According to the complaint, “inside the room, law enforcement found condoms, a knife, lubricant, razor blades, bloody tissues, an American Airlines boarding pass for Flight Number AA827 from Philadelphia to Los Angeles in Pysher’s name.” 

“Law enforcement also found a faraday bag, commonly used to block electronic signals, near Pysher’s cellphone,” reported the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Central District of California,  

According to investigators, the minor reported that she was repeatedly cut with a knife by Pysher. According to investigators, the minor reported that Pysher engaged in sexual conduct with her despite her objections and that he choked her during the encounter to the point that she could not speak. She told authorities that his “plan was for them to go to the top of a ‘big’ hotel and jump off together.”

First Assistant United States Attorney Bill Essayli called the charged facts of the case, “chilling,” and warned parents to keep their kids offline.

Investigators believe there may be more victims of Matthew Edward Pysher. If you or someone you know may have been a victim of this individual, please call (310)-477-6565 or at 1-800-CALL-FBI.   

Alleged Connection to Nihilistic Violent Extremism (“NVE”)

“Based on a review of the contents of the victim’s smartphone and Pysher’s online activities, law enforcement believes that Pysher is associated with NVE ideology.” (Justice.gov) 

NVE stands for nihilistic violent extremism. The complaint explains that “NVEs are individuals who engage in criminal conduct within the United States and abroad, in furtherance of political, social, or religious goals that derive primarily from a hatred of society at large and a desire to bring about its collapse by sowing indiscriminate chaos, destruction, and social instability. NVEs work individually or as part of a network with these goals of destroying civilized society through corruption and exploitation of vulnerable populations, which often include minors.” 

According to federal authorities, NVE networks and individuals “systematically and methodically” target the vulnerable, often through social media platforms. According to the complaint, their tactics include desensitizing targets to violence by eroding social norms, and normalizing the creation and sharing of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) and other graphic material. Such networks may use coordinated blackmail and extortion to pressure victims into escalating acts, including self-mutilation, sexual acts, violent acts, and even suicide. (Justice.gov) 

The affidavit also notes that these networks frequently adopt different names while maintaining consistent objectives. The group referred to as “764” is identified as one such network associated with NVE ideology. According to investigators, “764 and related groups are NVEs who engage in criminal conduct within the United States and engage with other extremists abroad.” Their main goal is to destroy civilized society. 

According to Essayli, these individuals “want to bring down society and they want to get other young people to join them and also be despondent with them. It’s a very sick and twisted ideology.” 

Watch the full arrest announcement video here. 

Civil Accountability: Online Platforms and Hotels

Criminal prosecution addresses whether a defendant violated the law. Civil law addresses whether individuals or institutions failed to take reasonable steps to prevent foreseeable harm.

When minors are groomed online and transported to hotels or motels for sexual exploitation, those facts may raise issues commonly examined in sex trafficking litigation. Even when a case is not formally charged as trafficking, the pattern, including online coercion, travel across state lines, and use of a commercial lodging property, reflects conduct that courts frequently examine in trafficking-related civil litigation.

Digital Platform Responsibility

When alleged grooming occurs on widely used communication platforms, like Discord or Roblox, civil litigation may examine whether the platform implemented reasonable safeguards to protect minors.

A civil investigation may assess:

• Whether the platform had systems in place to detect grooming behavior involving children
  
• Whether user complaints, flagged content, or other red flags were reviewed and addressed appropriately
  
• Whether moderation tools and reporting mechanisms were effective in identifying grooming and exploitation

Digital platforms are facing heightened legal scrutiny as criminal cases are increasingly involving the online grooming of children. 

Motel and Hospitality Accountability

When alleged sexual exploitation of a minor occurs at a motel, civil investigations may assess whether the property followed proper anti-trafficking protocols.

A civil case may evaluate:

• Whether identification was properly requested and verified at check-in
  
• Whether staff observed a minor accompanied by an unrelated adult under suspicious circumstances
  
• Whether visible signs of distress, injury, or coercion were present
  
• Whether employees were trained to recognize indicators of child exploitation or trafficking
  
• Whether suspicious activity was reported or escalated

The hospitality industry has faced significant litigation in recent years for failing to intervene when minors were exploited on-site. When warning signs are overlooked, civil law provides a pathway to examine whether institutional failures enabled exploitation.

Our Firm’s Commitment to Survivors

At Andreozzi + Foote, our attorneys represent survivors of sexual abuse nationwide, including cases involving online grooming, exploitation, and abuse. 

Criminal charges focus on punishment. Civil law focuses on accountability, transparency, and prevention. A civil investigation can uncover whether warning signs were ignored, whether safety protocols were followed, and whether systemic failures allowed abuse to occur. It can also provide survivors with financial resources for counseling, medical care, and long-term recovery.

If you or someone you love was a victim of exploitation by Matthew Edward Pysher or another individual, you do not have to navigate the aftermath alone. We offer free, confidential consultations to help you understand your rights and explore your options in a safe and supportive environment. 

You deserve to be heard. You deserve accountability. You deserve justice. 

Contact us today. 

📞 (866) 311-8640
📧 info@vca.law 

Image sources: Matthew Edward Pysher, courtesy of FBI Los Angeles. Rodeway Inn Magic Mountain Area, © Google, Google Maps.