Former Newark TA sentenced to 50 years in prison on child pornography charges

NEWARK, N.Y. (WHEC) — A former Newark teaching assistant will serve at least the next 50 years in prison after he was convicted on several child porn charges, prosecutors announced Tuesday.

Between 2016 and 2020 federal prosecutors say Matthew Holland coerced minors to produce child pornography via social media, recorded minors undressing in their homes, and also recorded them at the YMCA in Canandaigua where he worked.

Prosecutors say he also secretly recorded Newark students in the dressing room of his photography studio in Newark and downloaded hundreds of child porn images and videos from the internet.

Additionally, prosecutors say Holland committed additional acts:

• Between October 2019, and February 14, 2020, while employed as a teacher/assistant at the before and after school childcare program at the Canandaigua YMCA, Holland entered the family locker room and photographed approximately 5 female children as they were changing out of their swimsuits after swimming in the YMCA pool.
• Between Feb. 18, 2019, and Feb. 20, 2020, Holland recorded a 10-11-year-old girl in "various stages" of undress in the bathroom of her home in Newark.
• On April 17, 2016, he recorded a 10-year-old female in various stages of undress in the bathroom of her home in Marion.

He was arrested in Leesburg, Virginia, on July 17, 2020, after allegedly coercing a minor there to send him provocative photos and threatening to share other photos if she didn’t. He was brought back to New York on a warrant. The charges touched off fury from parents who went to a meeting of the Newark School Board, demanding to know how Holland stayed with the district for the years he’s accused of sexually exploiting its young students.

A News10NBC report previously revealed the district was alerted to Holland’s alleged actions prior to his firing.

Holland previously pleaded guilty back in March.