A 34-year-old nanny from Orange County, Matthew Antonio Zakrzewski, has been sentenced for sexually abusing 16 young boys and showing pornography to another boy under his care. The Orange County District Attorney’s Office has stated that Zakrzewski faces a prison sentence of 705 years to life, plus an additional two years and eight months. On October 3, he was found guilty by a jury of 34 felony counts, including lewd and lascivious acts with a minor under 14, oral copulation of a child under 10, possession of child pornography, and using a minor for sex acts, among others.
Zakrzewski worked as a nanny for various families across Southern California, and his victims ranged in age from 2 to 12 years old. The crimes were committed between January 2014 and May 2019, during which Zakrzewski also filmed many of the assaults on the boys.
During the court hearing on Friday, parents of the victims expressed their outrage at Zakrzewski, comparing him to an “animal” that they blamed themselves for allowing into their homes. Zakrzewski, however, never apologized and instead stated, “I prided myself on bringing smiles to your children and all the good times we shared were 100 percent genuine,” causing several parents to cover their ears and weep.
The case came to light in May 2019 when a couple from Laguna Beach reported to the police that their 8-year-old son had been inappropriately touched by Zakrzewski, their babysitter. Concerned for their child’s safety and the possibility of other victims, the couple hired Zakrzewski through one of his babysitting websites.
The Laguna Beach police launched an investigation, which led to the discovery of 10 more victims across Southern California, including a 7-year-old boy in Los Angeles. Zakrzewski referred to himself as “the original Sitter Buddy” on his website, offering various babysitting services and mentorships.
Zakrzewski was arrested on May 17, 2019, by Laguna Beach detectives as he disembarked from an international flight at a local airport. Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer described the case as a “shattered innocence and precious childhoods that were robbed” and emphasized the lifelong trauma experienced by the victims and their families.
Zakrzewski has been charged with 34 felony counts, including lewd and lascivious acts with minors, oral copulation of a child, possession of child pornography, using a minor for sex acts, distributing pornography to a minor, and an attempted lewd or lascivious act with a minor.
The focus now is on supporting the affected families as they try to rebuild their lives. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, viewers can visit KTLA.
