Press Release: Davidson County Deputies make arrest in Felony child abuse case

{Caution: This article contains content of a sensitive nature concerning underage sexual abuse.} 

On Sunday February 18, 2024, Patrol deputies with the Davidson County Sheriff’s Office responded to a residence in Lexington in reference to a report of a sexual assault.

 Deputies on the scene briefly spoke with Matthew Clonts who reported that he had pornographic images of children on his phone.

Clonts  agreed to be transported to the Davidson County Sheriff’s Office to further discuss the images he reported to have with a Detective.

Following an interview and manual search of Clonts’ mobile device, Detectives located images and videos consistent with child sexual abuse material captured at a previous residence where he resided. 

 Clonts was arrested and charged with two counts of Felony First-degree sexual exploitation of a minor. He was issued an initial court date of March 15, 2024 and held in the Davidson County Detention Center.

Further investigation revealed that Clonts was in possession of additional images captured at a previous residence where he resided not consistent with child sexual abuse material, but lewd in nature and was subsequently charged with Felony secret peeping and was issued an additional court date of March 4, 2024, in Lexington District Court