Minn. Talent Scout Charged for Child Molestation

A talent scout is accused of having sexual contact with two boys inside his Cottage Grove home.

Matthew Feeney, 43, is charged with two counts of criminal sexual conduct.

A nationwide warrant had been issued for Feeney's arrest, but he turned himself in Tuesday morning.

According to the criminal complaint, Feeney is the owner and casting director of Walden Entertainment in Bloomington.

In the fall of 2007 he worked with two brothers who were both aspiring actors.

He provided them with casting opportunities and acting classes. By the spring of 2009 he had become a close family friend to the family.

The boys' mother trusted Feeney, and let the boys go over to his Cottage Grove home to watch movies, play X-Box and spend the night.

Feeney also organized outings with the boys for camping trips, film festivals and trips to Valley Fair.

In May of 2009, the older brother who was 14-years-old at the time, went over to Feeney's house to watch a movie. The boy said, Feeney put his hand down the boy's pants and sexually touched him.

The boy said sexual contact happened 6 to 7 times between May of 2009 and the summer of 2011. The boy reported he would often pretend he was sleeping or try to push Feeney's hand away.

The boy's younger brother also reported being inappropriately touched by Feeney. In December of 2009, the younger brother who was 9-years-old at the time, was lying on the couch watching a movie when Feeney put his hand down his pants and touched him.

The boy reported he was touched on a number of other occasions between Dec. of 2009 and Nov. of 2011.

In March of 2012 the boys' mother was posting photos of the boys on Facebook, when her younger son asked her not to post pictures of him because he didn't like people looking at his body.

The boy's mother asked him why he was so uncomfortable, and he broke down crying. He told her that his acting coach had been touching him inappropriately.

When the older brother heard what they were talking about, he started crying and said Feeney had also touched him inappropriately.

The brothers were unaware Feeney had touched the other until the discussion with their mother.