WACH Fox sports television anchor Matt Vereen charged with sexual exploitation of minors

WACH Fox sports reporter and anchor Matthew “Matt” Vereen has been arrested by state law enforcement officials on three counts related to the sexual exploitation of minors, according to the state Attorney General’s Office.

Vereen, 28, of Columbia, is charged with two counts of sexual exploitation of a minor, second degree, which is a felony offense punishable by up to 10 years imprisonment on each count. He is also charged with one count of sexual exploitation of a minor, third degree, a felony offense punishable by up to 10 years imprisonment.

The Columbia-based television station issued a statement Friday afternoon on its web page saying, “WACH Fox News understands the severity of these allegations and Vereen has been placed on suspension pending an investigation. As this is a personnel matter, the station will not be commenting further at this time.”

Vereen has worked with WACH Fox since November 2021, according to his LinkedIn profile, and was a sports reporter at a Springfield, Missouri,television station before that. He graduated from University of Missouri in 2018.

A press release Friday by the S.C. Attorney General’s office said investigators with the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force of the Attorney General’s Office arrested Vereen on Wednesday, Aug. 21, 2024. The Columbia Police Department and Homeland Security Investigations, both also members of the state’s crimes against children task force, assisted.

Vereen was taken to the Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center off Bluff Road. He has been released on bond, according to news accounts.

An affidavit attached to a warrant in the case said that agents executed a search warrant Wednesday at Vereen’s residence and found a digital photo on an Apple laptop of an 11-13 year old female in a sexually suggestive pose.

Another affidavit in the case said that in July, Vereen used a social media application to purchase a video that contained sexually explicit images of a 13-year-old female.

According to Vereen’s LinkedIn profile, he is an “experienced sports anchor and reporter with a demonstrated history of working in the broadcast media industry. Skilled in story telling, video editing and news writing.”

The Attorney General’s office is describing the offenses as relating to child sexual material since the term “child pornography” can imply the child was a willing participant, the office said.