Information filed against former Camp Fitch director

Poese faces potential maximum sentence of 10 years in prison

Staff report

ERIE, Pa.

The former executive director of Camp Fitch is expected to plead guilty Aug. 12 to child-pornography charges filed in the U.S. Western District Court of Pennsylvania.

A bill of information was filed July 8 against Matthew E. Poese, accusing him of possessing child pornography from November 2018 until June.

Poese is accused of having images on computer files that he could view on an electronic device, according to the bill of information by the U.S. Attorneys Office for Western Pennsylvania.

The YMCA of Youngstown has operated at Camp Fitch in Pennsylvania, which was founded in 1914 on the banks of the Little Beaver River and moved to Lake Erie 85 years ago. According to its website, about 16,000 people visit the camp each year to take advantage of its programs.

Thomas M. Gasce, president and CEO of the YMCA of Youngstown, said in a statement that none of the charges against Poese alleges any misconduct or inappropriate behavior with any Camp Fitch member.

“We are aware of the charge against Matt Poese and are deeply disturbed and saddened by his alleged actions,” Gasce said.

Court documents show that Poese agreed Tuesday to waive indictment in the case and enter a plea before Judge David Stewart Cercone at the federal courthouse in Erie.

Poese faces a potential maximum sentence of 10 years in prison and could be placed on federal probation for life, according to court documents.

Poese also was banned from any Camp Fitch or YMCA property as soon as the Y learned of the investigation. He was fired June 19, the statement by Gasce said.

Gasce said in the statement that all background checks on Poese before he was hired came back clean and that he has never been in trouble while he worked at Camp Fitch.

“We take our responsibility to children and their families very seriously,” Gasce said. “We have a series of measures in place to keep kids safe, including thorough background checks on all employees and required staff training on recognizing and preventing child abuse.”