Man charged with trying to meet teen boy through dating app

An Uptown man is accused of trying to solicit sex from someone he thought was a teenage boy last week on the North Side.

Matthew Baldwin, 51, faces one count of attempted aggravated criminal sexual abuse, two counts of indecent solicitation of a minor, one count of traveling to meet a minor and one count of grooming a minor, all felonies, according to a statement from the Cook County sheriff’s office.

On Sept. 10, Baldwin contacted an undercover investigator with the sheriff’s Special Victims Unit who was posing as a 15-year-old boy on a dating app, authorities said. They continued to talk through another chat app for several more weeks.

Baldwin allegedly “sent explicit messages describing sexual activity he wished to engage in” and suggested that they meet, the sheriff’s office said. He also agreed not to tell the “boy’s” mother about the meeting.

The undercover officer arranged to meet Baldwin near his North Side home Oct. 14 and took him into custody when he arrived, according to the sheriff’s office. Baldwin allegedly told investigators after his arrest that he thought he was going to be meeting the 15-year-old for sex.

Baldwin’s bail was set at $150,000 during a hearing Friday, authorities said. He was released on electronic monitoring after posting bond and is due back in court Nov. 4.

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