Phantoms employee charged in child sex abuse material case – NBC10 Philadelphia

An Allentown man employed with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms has been suspended by the organization after being charged with possessing child sexual abuse material, according to prosecutors and the Phantoms.

Matthew Francis, 29, was arraigned on felony counts of sexual abuse of children, possession of child sexual abuse material and criminal use of a communication facility, according to the Lehigh County District Attorney’s Office.

Pennsylvania State Police began investigating after receiving two tips Sept. 4 from the National Center for Exploited Children that videos depicting child sexual abuse material had been uploaded, according to prosecutors.

Investigators traced the IP address used to upload the videos to Francis’ apartment in the unit block of North Seventh Street in Allentown, prosecutors said. Investigators also identified a phone number used to upload the files and traced it to Francis.

“One video included a child approximately 10-13 years old being raped by an adult male. A second video included a child approximately 5-10 years old being sexually abused by an adult male. A third video included two children approximately 11-14 years old engaged in oral sex with each other,” prosecutors said.

The same cellphone number had previously been provided by Francis to Allentown police in connection with a June 2026 police report about a dispute with a neighbor at the North Seventh Street apartment, prosecutors said.

When Francis’ apartment was searched, prosecutors said investigators found at least two additional videos depicting child sex abuse material.

Francis was being held in Lehigh County Jail on $100,000 bail. His preliminary hearing is scheduled for Sept. 18.

The Lehigh Valley Phantoms said that the organization was made aware of the matter that morning and had been cooperating with police. Francis had been under suspension since that morning, according to the Phantoms.

The organization also cited its zero-tolerance policy and said it had no further information to provide. A Phantoms representative would not confirm Francis’ dates of employment or the scope of his role.

The Lehigh Valley Phantoms are a professional ice hockey team based in Allentown that competes in the American Hockey League and serves as the development team for the Philadelphia Flyers.