Eric Eugene Smith, a 51-year-old man from Falling Waters, West Virginia, is headed to federal prison for 97 months after being convicted of possessing child pornography. The sentence, handed down today in Martinsburg, marks the end of a federal prosecution that exposed Smith’s possession of graphic material depicting children under the age of 12.
Smith pleaded guilty in January 2019 to one count of “Possession of Child Pornography,” admitting he had stored the illicit images on electronic devices in Berkeley County during September 2018. Investigators from the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the West Virginia State Police uncovered the material during a coordinated probe into online child exploitation.
The evidence showed that Smith not only accessed but retained disturbing images of prepubescent children, violating federal laws designed to protect the most vulnerable from sexual abuse and digital exploitation. His guilty plea spared victims from testifying but did not mitigate the severity of the sentence imposed by Chief U.S. District Judge Gina M. Groh.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberley D. Crockett prosecuted the case on behalf of the government, emphasizing the predatory nature of possessing such material. “This isn’t victimless,” Crockett stated in court documents. “Every image represents a real child who was abused, and those crimes are perpetuated every time such material is saved or shared.”
The case was prosecuted under Project Safe Childhood, a national initiative led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices to combat online child exploitation. The program unites federal, state, and local agencies to track down offenders, dismantle networks, and rescue child victims across the country.
U.S. Attorney Bill Powell, overseeing the Western District of West Virginia, reaffirmed the government’s zero-tolerance stance: “We will relentlessly pursue those who exploit children, no matter how quietly they think they’re operating. Smith’s 97-month sentence sends a clear message: there is no hiding from justice.”
RELATED: Eugene Smith Sentenced for Counterfeit Ticket Scam
Related Federal Cases
- John Leslie Hess Sentenced for Child Porn Possession · West Virginia
- Scott Allen Forloine II Pleads Guilty to Child Porn Possession · West Virginia
- Kerr Guilty of Child Porn · West Virginia
- Hamilton Man Gets 15 Years for Child Porn · West Virginia
- Kanawha County Man, Sex Offender, Guilty of Child Porn Possession · West Virginia
Key Facts
- State: West Virginia
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Sex Crimes
- Source: Official Source ↗
🔒 Get the grimiest stories delivered weekly. Subscribe free →
Browse More
MORE FEDERAL CRIME NEWS
Sex CrimesSex CrimesSex CrimesSex Crimes