by Wesley Harris
A Ruston man already out on bail on felony charges has been charged with multiple sex crimes involving a juvenile and possession of anabolic steroids.
Matthew Zachary Upchurch, 41, was arrested Wednesday by Lincoln Parish sheriff’s deputies. Upchurch is charged by warrant with 67 counts of felony carnal knowledge of a juvenile, four counts of felony aggravated crimes against nature, felony indecent behavior with a juvenile, and contributing to the delinquency of juveniles.
The judge set “no bail” on those charges.
Upchurch was also booked on two counts of possession of Schedule III drugs and possession of drug paraphernalia. He is being held at the Lincoln Parish Detention Center.
The arrest followed an approximately monthlong investigation.
LPSO spokesman Lt. Matt Henderson said the victim is a female under the age of 17. Her mother became suspicious of Upchurch and asked LPSO to investigate, Henderson said. The alleged incidents occurred over the course of the summer.
Deputies executed a search warrant at Upchurch’s Christian Road residence. According to LPSO, the anabolic steroids testosterone and trenbolone, along with several syringes, were found in a bathroom cabinet. Deputies also reported finding on Upchurch’s bed a smoking pipe commonly used to consume methamphetamine.
Upchurch also has simple burglary and drug possession charges pending in Third District Court stemming from arrests earlier in 2026. According to court records, he appeared in court on those charges on August 18 but the cases were rescheduled for Sept. 15.
Henderson said the case remains under investigation and more charges may follow.
This information has been provided by a law enforcement agency as public information. Persons named or shown in photographs or video as suspects in a criminal investigation, or arrested and charged with a crime, have not been convicted of any criminal offense and are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
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