'Brilliant' Australian scientist who worked on combating Alzheimer's and other diseases before becoming hooked on meth and child pornography is jailed in the U.S.

  • Australian man Matthew Hynd sentenced for child pornography offences
  • Hynd was sentenced to six-and-a-half years' prison in New York
  • His offending occurred when he was working as a scientist in New York
  • Hynd's secret life was exposed in 2010 by an FBI investigation

By AUSTRALIAN ASSOCIATED PRESS

Published: | Updated:

An Australian scientist described as 'brilliant' for his work in combating Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and other diseases has been sentenced to six-and-a-half years' prison in New York for child pornography offences.

Dr Matthew Hynd, 40, formerly of Mundah, Queensland, was living a double life.

Professionally, he was a highly regarded scientist and professor at New York's SUNY Albany Colleges of Nanoscale Science and Engineering.

Matthew Hynd has been sentenced to six-and-a-half years' prison forchild pornography offences

Matthew Hynd has been sentenced to six-and-a-half years' prison forchild pornography offences

The Australian scientist was working at New York's SUNY Albany Colleges of Nanoscale Science and Engineering (pictured) when his offending was exposed

The Australian scientist was working at New York's SUNY Albany Colleges of Nanoscale Science and Engineering (pictured) when his offending was exposed

Hynd's lawyer Gene Primomo told the US District Court the Australian was 'on the cutting edge of cerebral implants being developed to deliver medicines to combat diseases such as epilepsy, Parkinson's and Alzheimer diseases'.

His secret life was exposed in 2010 after the discovery of two laptops when the FBI executed a search warrant on his New York home.

One laptop had 'several hundred' deleted image files containing child pornography that were later recovered and the other had more than 900 images of child pornography.

Hynd had recreationally used methamphetamine on weekends, but this increased to 'full blown addiction', Mr Primomo said.

'It was during this period that Matt began to download and view child pornography,' the lawyer told Judge Mae D'Agostino.

An FBI investigation uncovered his offending

An FBI investigation uncovered his offending

US prosecutors told a different story, describing Hynd as manipulative and attempting to falsely blame a friend for the child pornography.

Three days after the search warrant was executed, Hynd bought an airline ticket to fly from New York to Casablanca, Morocco, and the next day he boarded the flight.

He left his job in Albany without providing notice to his employer and prosecutors said flight records showed Hynd 'travelled around the world before landing in Australia, where he is a citizen'.

Hynd was indicted in the US in 2012, extradited from Australia in August 2015, and entered guilty pleas to distribution and possession of child pornography charges.

The charges carry a minimum sentence of five years and maximum of 20 years.

At Tuesday's sentencing in Albany, Hynd asked for the minimum, while prosecutors recommended between 12.5 and 15 years.

Judge D'Agostino ordered Hynd also serve a lifetime term of supervised release after he leaves jail and to pay $US1000 in restitution to one of his child pornography victims.

Hynd will be deported to Australia once he has served his sentence.

Hynd was found with two laptops containing hundreds of files and images of child pornography

Hynd was found with two laptops containing hundreds of files and images of child pornography

 

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