KINGSTON – The Kingston man arrested last week by federal and local authorities on child obscenity charges has been suspended from employment with the City of Kingston until further notice.
Matthew Brownlee, Jr., 26, worked at the Everette Hodge Center, a community center for children owned by the City of Kingston and operated in collaboration with the Family of Woodstock’s Kingston Cares Initiative.
Brownlee was arrested on December 21 and released on an appearance ticket for Kingston city court. The city suspended him the following day.
“We were deeply concerned upon learning of his arrest,” said
Megan Weiss, the city’s spokeswoman. “He is presently suspended
from employment with the City of Kingston until further notice.”
Weiss said there is “no reason to believe any of the allegations
involve children in our program.”
The Ulster Regional Gang Enforcement Narcotics Team and the US Department of Homeland Security investigated the case, which began in August when several online conversations took place between Brownlee and the supposed teenage girl who was in reality an undercover agent. They discussed meeting in person for sexual conduct and he transmitted sexually explicit photos.
