COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. -- A Colorado Springs hospital worker and school volunteer is sitting in jail accused of sexually assaulting a mentally delayed minor while the victim volunteered at the facility.
Matthew Wilson, 51, was arrested Oct. 10 after investigators began looking into allegations that Wilson had a sexual encounter with a 15-year-old boy at Memorial Hospital, where he was employed at the time.
Wilson reportedly met the teenager on Grindr, a dating app for gay men, where they both agreed to meet in a bathroom at the hospital and engage in sex acts with each other.
The teen reportedly informed Colorado Springs police about this incident on Aug. 5. It's not clear when the alleged sex assault took place, but the victim volunteered at Memorial Hospital from June to July 7, 2016, according to the arrest affidavit.
It wasn’t until a month later that a police officer would set up a fake Grindr account, where an investigator posed as a 14-year-old boy. Wilson and the undercover cop then exchanged several explicit messages, at one point Wilson telling the undercover cop that he would go to jail if they were ever caught, police records show.
After a failed meeting at a Wendy’s, detectives then had enough evidence to execute a search warrant and seize all of Wilson’s electronic devices.
On Oct. 19, several detectives went to Memorial Hospital and took Wilson’s phone and tablet, telling the suspect he was the subject of an investigation regarding the use of his Grindr account.
During a police interview, Wilson confessed to having met the victim on Grindr but told them that while he thought the boy looked young, the teen claimed he was 18 or 19-years-old.
After confessing he tried to meet with the undercover cop claiming to be 14-years-old, Wilson was arrested and charged with Sex Assault and Internet Luring of a Child.
Dan Weaver, a spokesperson for Memorial Hospital, confirmed with Denver7 that Wilson was no longer employed there, adding that his role at the hospital did not involve direct contact with patients. Weaver also sent the following statement to Denver7:
"The safety of our patients, staff, volunteers and visitors is a top priority for Memorial Hospital, and all allegations of inappropriate conduct are taken seriously and carefully investigated. Memorial is working closely with the Colorado Springs Police Department to help with their investigation, and we have launched our own investigation into the allegations. UCHealth and Memorial Hospital have zero tolerance for any criminal behavior, and the employee in question was immediately suspended and has now been terminated. His role at the hospital did not involve direct contact with patients."
Wilson was also a volunteer of Coronado High School's robotics program. When asked about the case, a spokesperson for District 11 told our Colorado Springs ABC affiliate station, KRDO-TV, "The district always performs background checks on all volunteers."
Denver7 also tried reaching Wilson's attorney, but our calls have not been returned.
The suspect is being held on a $10,000 bond.
Anyone with information about this investigation is asked to call the Colorado Springs Police Department at (719) 444-7000. You can also call crime stoppers at (719) 634-STOP (7867) or 1-800-222-8477.
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