Huelskamp staff member facing child sex charges

Authorities say a staff member for U.S. Rep. Tim Huelskamp, R-Kansas, has been arrested and charged with 17 counts of sexual exploitation of a child.

A Ford County jail official told the Associated Press on Saturday that Matthew P. Pennell is being held on $75,000 bond. The official said he couldn’t release the name of Pennell’s attorney or make Pennell available for an interview. No information is available in online court records.

Chief of Staff Mark Kelly said in a written statement that Huelskamp’s office has placed Pennell on unpaid leave. The statement said there would be no further comment.

Huelskamp represents Kansas’ 1st Congressional District.

This story was originally published March 7, 2015 at 10:51 PM with the headline "Huelskamp staff member facing child sex charges."