Matt Vereen, a prominent anchor for FOX 57 News, has been arrested in Columbia, South Carolina, on serious charges related to child pornography. Vereen, who has been with the network as a sports reporter, faces multiple allegations, including possession and distribution of child pornography. As a result of his arrest, the news outlet has removed his author page from its official website.
Arrest led to his suspension
The arrest took place on Wednesday, August 21, leading to an immediate suspension by FOX. Vereen is currently detained at the Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center, with a bond set at $40,000. The conditions of his bond stipulate that he is prohibited from being around minors unless under adult supervision and is also restricted from accessing social networking sites and the internet for personal use.
According to reports from The Mirror, Vereen faces two second-degree charges of sexual exploitation of a minor and one third-degree charge. If convicted, he could face up to 30 years in prison under South Carolina law. An arrest warrant for Vereen has been issued, and investigators have reportedly uncovered evidence linked to his offenses through his internet records, Gmail, and Apple messages.
FOX 57 News’ response
In response to the arrest, FOX 57 News released an official statement addressing the situation. The network confirmed the charges against Vereen, stating, “Sports reporter Matt Vereen has been arrested and charged with three counts of sexual exploitation of a minor, according to Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force investigators with the South Carolina Attorney General’s Office.”
The statement continued, “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.”
