TEXARKANA, Texas -- A local man charged with two felony counts of child grooming has been arrested on a charge of online solicitation of a minor, according to Bowie County jail records.
Matthew Lynn Riddle, 35, was booked into the Bowie County Correctional Center on Monday and released later that day after posting a $100,000 bond, according to jail records.
Riddle was released from jail earlier this month after posting a $200,000 bond on the child grooming charges, according to jail records.
He was arrested March 12 by the Texarkana Texas Police Department on the child grooming charges. The arrest was a first in Bowie County under the offense.
In Texas, child grooming is a third-degree felony, punishable by two to 10 years in prison and a maximum fine of $10,000.
Riddle had access to the girls through his wife, who coached them at Arkansas High School, according to probable cause affidavits. Riddle was also giving the girls batting lessons, according to the affidavits.
The messages were sent between Dec. 3, 2023, and Jan. 15, according to the affidavits.
Riddle sent the girls TikTok videos with sexually suggestive images and song lyrics and made references to the girls' bodies and the length of their shorts, according to the affidavits.
The child grooming felony law went into effect in September 2023. It is intended to protect children from sexual abuse and exploitation, and to prevent adults from developing connections with children for the purpose of sexual abuse or trafficking.
The case has been assigned to 202nd District Judge John Tidwell. Riddle is represented by the Bowie County Public Defender's Office, according to court records.