Former Sapulpa Instructor Sentenced in Child Internet Crimes Case

SAPULPA, Okla. – A former Sapulpa instructor and ex-law enforcement officer has been sentenced following an investigation into child internet crimes.

According to the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation (OSBI), the case began on September 12, 2024, after the Sapulpa Police Department requested assistance from the agency’s Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Unit regarding a cybertip involving suspected child sexual abuse material.

Investigators reviewed online files and identified multiple explicit images. Authorities traced the activity to 49-year-old Ryan Matthew Matthias, a former instructor at Central Technology Center in Sapulpa and a former Creek County law enforcement officer.

On November 5, 2024, OSBI agents, along with the Muscogee Nation Lighthorse Police Department and Sapulpa Police, executed search warrants at Matthias’ home and workplace. Multiple digital devices were seized during the investigation.

Matthias was later arrested and booked into the Creek County Jail on several charges related to child sexual abuse material.

Following a guilty plea, a Creek County district judge sentenced Matthias on March 24, 2026. He was convicted on:

• Two counts of possession of child pornography
• One count of procurement of child pornography
• One count of violating the Oklahoma Computer Crimes Act
• One count of possession of a controlled dangerous substance

Matthias received a total sentence of six years in prison, must register as a sex offender, and was ordered to pay more than $4,800 in fines.

Authorities credited multiple agencies and partners, including Central Technology Center and the District 24 District Attorney’s Office Task Force, for their role in the investigation.