JACKSONVILLE, FL – Carl Stephen Smith, Jr., 32, of Green Cove Springs, is facing a lifetime of consequences after being arrested and charged with the distribution and possession of horrific child sexual abuse material. U.S. Attorney Roger B. Handberg announced the indictment, sending a clear message that those who prey on children will be relentlessly pursued.
The investigation began last July when the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) CyberTipline received reports of three disturbing videos uploaded to a social media application by a user with the handle “daddysir142.” The digital trail led investigators to an internet service provider account registered to Smith’s residence. A deeper dive revealed a pattern: nine additional CyberTipline reports connected to Smith’s internet account or his cellphone carrier.
On January 31, 2023, members of the Northeast Florida Intercept Task Force – a coalition including Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Clay County Sheriff’s Office – stormed Smith’s home, executing a federal search warrant. The search yielded a cellphone belonging to Smith, which proved to be a digital vault of depravity. Forensic analysis revealed at least 15 videos and 14 images depicting the sexual abuse of young children. Investigators confirmed Smith had actively distributed one of these videos on January 6, 2023.
If convicted, Smith faces a minimum mandatory penalty of 5 years in federal prison, with the potential for up to 40 years behind bars. A life term of supervised release hangs over him as well. He remains detained pending trial. An indictment is not a conviction; Smith is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. But the evidence presented paints a grim picture.
This case is a chilling example of the work being done through Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 2006 by the Department of Justice. The project aims to dismantle the networks that facilitate the exploitation of children, bringing together federal, state, and local resources. The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office, and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement all contributed to this investigation, alongside HSI.
Assistant United States Attorney D. Rodney Brown is prosecuting the case. Grimy Times will continue to follow this case as it progresses through the federal court system. Those with information regarding child exploitation are urged to contact the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children or their local law enforcement agency. More information on Project Safe Childhood can be found at www.justice.gov/psc.
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Key Facts
- State: Florida
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Sex Crimes|Cybercrime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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