WASHINGTON COUNTY, ARKANSAS, Ark. — A Siloam Springs man accused of sexual abuse involving minors in multiple criminal cases has been sentenced to 100 years in prison.
Matthew Nance, 24, had at least four open cases between Benton and Washington County related to sexual abuse involving minors, with at least two arrests stemming from 2022 and 2023. Some of the incidents date years before his arrests.
On March 14, Nance pleaded guilty to rape, engaging children in sexually explicit conduct to use in visual or print medium, video voyeurism, distributing, possessing, or viewing matter depicting sexually explicit conduct involving a child, and seven counts of sexual extortion.
Nance was sentenced to 100 years in prison for his two Benton County cases.
"I want to thank Detective Ron Coble and the Siloam Springs Police Department for an excellent investigation. This sentence gives justice to the victims and provides them with closure for this chapter in their lives," said Benton County Deputy Prosecutor Kelsey Six.
According to court documents from one of Nance's cases, "As of July 10, 2022, there are a total of 22 victims that have come forward who have been sexually extorted or raped, victims have felt safe to come forward with Matthew Nance in jail."
Nance told police after one arrest that he targeted girls between the ages of 14 to 18 because they "are easier to control, and he enjoys the power over people," court documents said.
Victims told investigators that Nance would get them drunk or high on pills and rape them while recording it.
Victims recall that Nance would obtain compromising photos or videos and threaten to release them if his demands weren't met.
Investigators say in court documents that Nance "has a pattern of getting personal information from where he works ... to contact and sexually extort his victims."
It's unclear if Nance's Washington County cases have been resolved yet. Court filings say he is set to have a status hearing in Washington County on April 17 for more sexual extortion and child porn charges.
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