A former Miami-Dade County resident, Justin Shawn Smith, 35, has been sentenced to 225 months (19 years) in prison, followed by 25 years of supervised release, for producing child pornography and engaging in sextortion.
According to court documents, Smith pleaded guilty on February 8, 2017, to two counts of production of child pornography, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2251(a).
The investigation began when U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) received a tip from the Cyber Crime Center, via INTERPOL London, that an 11-year-old girl in London reported that a 13-year-old boy named ‘Cody Mathews’ convinced her to commit sexually provocative acts on the video-chat internet program Skype.
Smith, who used various usernames, including ‘Cody Mathews,’ engaged in hundreds of chats with minor females using various aliases. Forensic examination of Smith’s computer revealed an extensive chat history within the Skype program, showing that Smith convinced the minor girls to undress and engage in sexually explicit conduct with a sibling or pet.
Smith would often threaten the minor girls, stating that he would publish their nude photos or tell their parents if they did not do what he wanted.
Known as sextortion, online predators use this type of behavior to produce child pornography and take advantage of children through terror and manipulation. ICE-HSI aggressively investigates allegations of sextortion and other online offenses against children.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice.
U.S. District Court Judge Marcia G. Cooke handed down the sentence, which was announced by Benjamin G. Greenberg, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, and Mark Selby, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations (ICE-HSI), Miami Field Office.
Key Facts
- State: Florida
- Category: Sex Crimes
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
ðŸâ€Â’ Get the grimiest stories delivered weekly. Subscribe free →
MORE FEDERAL CRIME NEWS
Sex CrimesSex CrimesSex CrimesSex Crimes