‘Excommunicated’: Idaho pastor was a pillar of his community, then cops found a horrifying collection that he even shared online

Matthew Masiewicz, a former Nampa, Idaho, pastor, was sentenced to up to 17 years in prison after pleading guilty to charges related to child pornography by Canyon County District Court Judge Thomas Whitney. Masiewicz will now serve his time in the custody of the Idaho Department of Corrections.

When making his judgment, Whitney scolded Masiewicz, saying, “Your actions have caused great grief and pain and embarrassment to your family and those you’ve worked with.” Per Idaho News 6, Masiewicz, who used to lead Sovereign Grace Fellowship, had previously pleaded guilty to four felony counts tied to the possession and distribution of child sexual abuse material. As part of a plea agreement, nine other charges were dismissed.

Prosecutors laid out a chilling case. Investigators discovered multiple images and videos of minors on a laptop at the church where Masiewicz worked, with some of the children appearing as young as 5. They also revealed that he had sent these disturbing images to others using the Kik app. Prosecutors also noted that some of the material involved artificial intelligence to generate explicit images that appeared to depict minors. 

I feel like 17 years is too little

During the sentencing hearing at the Canyon County Courthouse, family and church members were present as Masiewicz admitted his wrongdoing. He stated, “I was a coward.” He went on to express regret, saying, “I should have confessed this to my wife, I should have confessed this to my elder who’s sitting over there.”

Canyon County Prosecuting Attorney Gregory Swanson, however, told the court that Masiewicz seemed to struggle with fully acknowledging the seriousness of his actions. Prosecutors claimed Masiewicz even laughed while discussing his psychosexual evaluation and tried to shift blame. Swanson specifically mentioned that Masiewicz was “apparently even mimicking a chef’s kiss when discussing it with the pre-sentence investigator.” 

Masiewicz’s attorney, Clarissa Greensmyth, pushed back against the prosecution’s claims, arguing that her client did show remorse, deleted material, and had reflected on his actions. Greensmyth described Masiewicz as someone isolated and struggling with the immense pressures that come with faith and his role as a pastor. 

She suggested that his expressions might be misunderstood, stating, “He can be awkward in how he expresses himself. People process extreme events differently.” Greensmyth also commented on his reliance on faith, adding, “And that was really hard and all he had was his faith and prayer.”

Masiewicz himself expressed deep remorse to the court, although, I think it might be an act. He labeled his actions as a moral evil and pleaded for grace and mercy. He acknowledged the severe consequences he’s already faced, saying, “I’ve lost my church community. I have been excommunicated.” 

It is horrendous how often people take on roles that are meant to protect children and then use their position to take advantage of them. From Vice Principals at schools to Psychotherapists who specialize in child therapy, we need stricter protocols to stop predators in their tracks.