Matthew Corey Hulst Released on Bond After Admitting 2 Child Exploitation Counts

Q: Who is the unidentified adult male in the illicit photo, and will investigators track him down next?

The adult male in the image has not been publicly identified, and the available court documents do not say whether it was Hulst himself or someone else. What is clear from the arrest warrant and local reporting is that investigators allege Matthew Corey Hulst possessed and sent the image through Snapchat from his Columbia Road home, and that he admitted to the offense. The warrant describes an adult male’s genitalia being visible in the photo, but authorities have not released any finding about that person’s identity, whether the photo was self-produced, or whether the male has been charged. Investigators are likely to keep pursuing that question, because identifying everyone involved in a child sexual abuse material case is a standard part of these investigations. The related reporting shows South Carolina agencies routinely use CyberTipline referrals, search warrants to tech companies such as Snap, device seizures, cloud-account reviews, and digital forensics to determine who created, possessed, or distributed images. Whether they “track him down next” depends on what evidence was recovered from Hulst’s devices, accounts, and home. If investigators can link the image to a specific adult male, additional charges or separate arrests could follow. For now, though, no public record confirms the man’s identity or any next-step charges beyond the two felony counts already filed against Hulst.

2 articles · Updated · The Augusta Press · Aug 6

35-year-old Matthew Corey Hulst was released Wednesday on a personal-recognizance bond after deputies said he admitted sending child sexual abuse material involving a girl under 10.
Two second-degree sexual exploitation charges stem from a CyberTip received May 26 by the Aiken County Sheriff's Office, tied to a Snapchat image allegedly sent May 2 from Hulst's Columbia Road home.
Tuesday's arrest followed months of surveillance and a large police response at the Wagener residence, though authorities have not disclosed what the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force seized there.
Each felony count carries up to 10 years in prison, and the South Carolina Attorney General's Office is set to prosecute the case.