A Henrietta man was arrested at Jay’s Diner Thursday, while holding Valentine's Day gifts and candy for his "date."
Why?
Because, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office, the girl he believed he was meeting was underage.
Lincoln, 38, had allegedly been corresponding with an undercover agent, who posed as a 16-year-old girl named Ally. According to court documents, over the span of two weeks, “Ally” and Lincoln began texting back and forth. He is accused of asking her for photos and sending some of himself- including one of him entirely nude, exposing himself. Authorities say he also sent sexually explicit and graphic messages.
Brighton Police say they opened the investigation after an 11-year-old girl and her father reported Lincoln for sending the girl inappropriate text messages in late December. Lincoln has been arraigned in federal court on a charge of enticing a minor.
“This case all started with an 11-year-old receiving a message. It didn’t seem right to [her], she contacted her parents, communicated with her parents and through that the parents called 911,” said Brighton Police Chief Mark Henderson.
Law enforcement officials say Lincoln was fully aware that both girls were too young but continued the conversation and even indicated in the case of “Ally” that he didn’t care.
Lincoln was rather well-known in the Henrietta community for his work as a swim instructor. He worked with several town clubs. He was reportedly dismissed this week from his current position as program director for Henrietta’s Golden Comets Swim Club. According to the club’s website, Lincoln began teaching there in 2000, leading groups of youth aged 12 and under. However, as of 1 p.m. Friday, Lincoln has been completely removed from the site. He was also a coach at Penfield’s Sea Dragons Swim Club, the Gananda Racing Aquatic Team and the Newark Wahoos. He returned to the Golden Comets in September 2014.
Henderson says he also worked briefly for the Town of Henrietta offering swim activities and instruction.
“We were recently informed that Matthew Lincoln, a former part-time Town employee, was arrested on federal charges of soliciting a minor," said Henrietta Town Supervisor Steve Schultz in a statement. "This individual was a swim coach and pool site supervisor for the Golden Comets Swim Team and it was through those auspices that he was paid by the Town’s Recreation Department to schedule activities associated with programs offered by the Swim Team as well as to provide instruction and training to staff and participants." He went onto explain that last year, Golden Comets took on full control of the program and so Lincoln was removed from the Town payroll.
“First, our heartfelt sympathies go out to the victims and the victims’ families," Schultz continued. “The Town takes the protection of children very seriously and performs a background check on prospective employees in the Recreation Department or any job that involves working with children. The Town has and will continue to fully cooperate with the various Law Enforcement agencies involved. As this is an on-going investigation and a former Town employee, there is not a lot more I can offer at this time.
Law enforcement officials also are trying to find out if Lincoln tried to entice other youths.
“We have a concern that the Brighton person who received the text message was not the only person in our area to do that,” said Henderson.
“We don’t know,” said U.S. Attorney James Kennedy when asked how many other victims there might be. “We know he had access and contact to a lot of children. That’s what’s particularly disturbing. Pediatrician a couple weeks ago, swim coach today, yesterday in Buffalo we had a sentencing with a Boy Scout leader. These are people that are very nefarious in the manner in which they go about feeding their perverse desires.”
Anna Potter, Associate Executive Director of the Bivona Child Advocacy Center said the 11-year-old telling her father about Lincoln is an example of how youth can be empowered to help law enforcement with these kinds of issues.
“The 11 year old girl she goes to her dad- that’s a phenomenal story right there,” she said. “These people in the community that violate kids, they’re so good at manipulating them and getting them to keep quiet.”
Law enforcement officials are encouraging anyone with more information about Lincoln to call 911.