![\"Matthew](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/1548111437394.jpg\")
<\/p>\nA man who worked as a hockey mascot was jailed Friday after investigators traced child sexual abuse material to his apartment and cellphone, authorities said.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Matthew Francis<\/p>\n
Photo Credit: LinkedIn\/Matthew Francis @matthewcfrancis<\/p>\n
09\/12\/2026 9:00 a.m.<\/p>\n
Matthew Francis, 29,\u00a0Allentown, self-described as Lehigh Valley Phantoms\u2019 \u201cManager of Fun\u201d, was charged with felony counts of sexual abuse of children\/possession of child sexual abuse material and criminal use of a communication facility.<\/p>\n
The Lehigh Valley Phantoms are the American Hockey League affiliate of the NHL\u2019s Philadelphia Flyers, playing their home games at PPL Center in Allentown.<\/p>\n
” data-original_data=”PGRpdiBjbGFzcz0iZS1pbm5lciI+PGRpdiBjbGFzcz0iZmItcG9zdCIgZGF0YS1ocmVmPSJodHRwczovL3d3dy5mYWNlYm9vay5jb20vcGhvdG8ucGhwP2ZiaWQ9MTY4Nzk1ODM2MDAwMTI5MyZhbXA7c2V0PXBiLjEwMDA2MzYxNDM0NjY1Mi4tMjIwNzUyMDAwMCZhbXA7dHlwZT0zIiBkYXRhLXdpZHRoPSI1NTIiPjwvZGl2PjwvZGl2Pg==” data-post_url=”https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/photo.php?fbid=1687958360001293&set=pb.100063614346652.-2207520000&type=3″ data-testid=”article-embedded-element” js-embedded=”” js-module=”DeferUntilLCP”><\/p>\n
The investigation began Sept. 4, when Pennsylvania State Police received two tips from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children about videos depicting child sexual abuse material that had been uploaded, Lehigh County District Attorney Gavin Holihan and Troop M Capt. Seth Kelly said.<\/p>\n
Investigators traced the IP address used for the uploads to Francis\u2019 apartment in the unit block of North Seventh Street, according to the release. The cellphone number used to upload the files also matched Francis\u2019 number, police said.<\/p>\n
The videos depicted children as young as 5 being sexually abused, investigators said.<\/p>\n
Allentown and state police searched Francis\u2019 apartment Friday, Sept. 11, and found at least two additional videos depicting child sexual abuse material on his cellphone, authorities said.<\/p>\n
During an interview at the apartment, Francis admitted possessing the images and said he kept them in a secured folder on his cellphone, according to court records.<\/p>\n
Francis was taken into custody during the search and arraigned Friday. He was sent to Lehigh County Jail on $100,000 bail.<\/p>\n
His preliminary hearing is scheduled for Thursday, Sept. 18, before Magisterial District Judge Karen Devine.<\/p>\n