A man from Randolph County faces serious allegations of ongoing sexual abuse against a child.
A 23-year-old resident of Williamsburg in southwestern Randolph County, Matthew E. Baumgartner, faced charges last week in Randolph Circuit Court, including seven counts related to the exploitation of minors.
Four of the allegations are classified as serious offenses, each potentially leading to a maximum of 40 years behind bars, whereas the remaining three charges fall into a lesser category, with a maximum of 16 years as the possible sentence.
An affidavit reveals that Baumgartner initially refuted the accusations but later confessed to a detective from the Randolph County Sheriff’s Department that he “had sexual contact with (a girl under the age of 12) on multiple occasions.”
According to the affidavit, Baumgartner stated that the assaults started when the child was just 8 years old. Legal filings reveal that the incidents of abuse occurred from May 2021 until recently.
A man from Randolph County allegedly stated that he had utilized his cell phone to capture videos of several of the assaults. Authorities confiscated a pair of mobile devices “for additional examination.”
Baumgartner, currently in custody at the Randolph County Jail with a bond set at $70,000, is scheduled for trial on January 20.
Barbara J. Baumgartner, aged 59 and the mother of Baumgartner, faces charges of neglecting a dependent, which is classified as a Level 5 felony and could result in a prison sentence of up to six years.
The young girl allegedly informed investigators that she had shared details about her son’s supposed offenses with Barbara Baumgartner, but claimed that she “never believes me.”
After posting a bond of $8,000, she was freed from the Randolph County Jail. A preliminary hearing for her case is scheduled for October 23.