Former USA Climbing Coach Arrested in Summit County for Suspected Minor Sexual Exploitation

May 1, 2026

Matthew Maddison, a former strength and conditioning coach for USA Climbing’s speed team and its team manager, was taken into custody this week in Summit County, Utah. He now faces ten separate charges of sexual exploitation of a minor, a crime that carries severe penalties under both state and federal law. The indictment stems from a months‑long investigation that began after a tip was lodged with the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, alleging that Maddison possessed and distributed illicit images and videos involving children.

Utah’s Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force traced the alleged wrongdoing to a private social‑media account that Maddison allegedly operated. According to court filings, law‑enforcement agents executed a search warrant at his residence and seized multiple electronic devices. Forensic analysis reportedly revealed a substantial collection of child sexual abuse material, with investigators estimating that more than thirty individual files were distributed online. In the affidavit filed by the task force, agents noted that Maddison confessed to owning the account and admitted that he found the material sexually arousing while acknowledging that possessing and sharing it was illegal.

The affidavit details that investigators examined messaging platforms linked to Maddison’s account and uncovered text exchanges in which he discussed his predilection for pre‑pubescent children and expressed a desire to abuse them. These chats were described as explicit, illustrating a clear intent to act on his urges. In addition, the search turned up a “large amount of CSAM” stored on his devices, confirming that the material was not a one‑off incident but part of an ongoing pattern of illegal activity. The digital evidence has been described by prosecutors as “compelling and unequivocal,” underscoring the seriousness of the alleged conduct. Press Release Cloud