HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, Fla. — A youth softball coach has been arrested and charged with multiple sex crimes with an underage victim, the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office said Friday.
According to HCSO, on Aug. 25, the Pasco Sheriff's Office arrested and charged Matthew Galhouse, 40, with sex crimes on an underage victim. At that time, Pasco Sheriff's believed Galhouse committed similar crimes at his home in Hillsborough County and alerted the Hillsborough Sheriff's Office.
During a news conference, Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Cronister said Galhouse coerced a 17-year-old girl to have sex with him in a park in Pasco County. Galhouse allegedly invited the teen victim to go back to his house in New Tampa, where he had sex with her again.
According to Sheriff Cronister, the teen victim became a babysitter for Galhouse and his child, which allowed more opportunities for him to abuse her.
During their investigation, Hillsborough detectives confirmed PSO's suspicions and charged Galhouse with additional crimes in Hillsborough County.
HCSO said Galhouse faces 12 counts of sexual battery and additional charges from the Pasco Sheriff's Office.
HCSO believes there may be more victims and is encouraging additional victims to come forward. If you have any information regarding these cases or feel you may have been a victim, please contact teamHCSO at (813) 247-8200.
ABC Action News Mugshot Policy
When a mugshot is used
If the person is still on the loose and a potential threat to the community; if there is a good chance that showing the suspect would help identify additional victims or otherwise protect the public from a serious threat or if the crime or the suspect is of such a significant note that seeing them in a mugshot is in the greater public interest.
Using previous mugshots
Only if the story is specifically talking about that previous crime
We do not show mugshots of victims
This policy started in early 2021
