An Allegany County man has been convicted following a Maryland State Police investigation into the illegal access of private online accounts containing boudoir photographs.
According to Maryland State Police, 39-year-old Mathew Mark Schartiger, of Cumberland, was charged in two separate criminal cases with a combined total of 16 criminal charges after investigators determined he unlawfully accessed victims’ private online accounts.
On Wednesday, July 1, Schartiger was sentenced in Frederick County District Court by Judge Mimi Cooper to two consecutive three-year prison terms, with all but 10 days suspended. The investigation began in March after Maryland State Police received information from law enforcement in Allegany County regarding multiple possible identity theft incidents.
Troopers determined that Schartiger allegedly impersonated female victims by creating fraudulent email accounts and unlawfully accessing private boudoir photographs stored on multiple online business platforms.
Search warrants were later executed at a business in the 17000 block of McMullen Highway and at Schartiger’s residence in Allegany County. Investigators said evidence recovered during those searches showed Schartiger used both locations to unlawfully access victims’ private online accounts and create unauthorized copies of their photographs.
Maryland State Police are encouraging anyone who believes they may have been the victim of similar activity to contact their nearest Maryland State Police barrack.
