Man sentenced to four years in prison after pleading guilty to two counts of domestic assault

Matthew Wollin, 41, of Bakersfield, pleaded guilty to two counts of domestic assault, pursuant to a plea agreement with the state during the March 6 session of Ozark County Law Day. 

As part of the agreement, additional charges of sexual exploitation of a minor, four counts of abuse of a child, another domestic assault charge, two counts of armed criminal action, endangering the welfare of a child were dismissed. 

The court rejected the initial plea offer, the online docket says. 

The final plea agreement is as follows: 4 years in the Missouri Department of Corrections on the two counts of domestic assault. The sentences are to run concurrently, or at the same time. 

The docket says that the court has the right to file count 1, the charge of sexual exploitation of a minor, if new evidence becomes available. 

According to the probable cause statement, written by former Ozark County Sheriff’s Sgt. Justin Brown, the officer received a call from the Child Advocacy Center in Springfield on July 11, 2022, and a worker explained that she’d conducted an interview with four children regarding the alleged actions by Wollin. 

During the June 23 interview, the children reportedly told officials that they’d been living in unhealthy conditions. Physical abuse was also detailed, as Woolin reportedly used a “switch” to hit the children’s hands, leaving welts. Other times, he reportedly spanked the children with a belt so hard it left bruises.

The children witnessed Wollin beat their mother and siblings and  drug use in the home, according to the documents. One child said Wollin showed him or her nude photos of their mother. He also reportedly hid a cell phone in the bathroom to record a child undressing for the shower.