Tyler Andrew Smith, Child Pornography, Florida 2012

A 23-year-old Volusia County man has been sentenced to 10 years in federal prison for distributing and possessing child pornography.

According to court documents, Tyler Andrew Smith used his email account to send a child pornography image to an individual in another state on July 31, 2012.

In April 2013, during an investigation into the individual, law enforcement discovered Smith's email and the attached pornographic image.

On March 16, 2013, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) agents interviewed Smith at his residence and found a cellular telephone containing a memory card, a netbook computer, and an SD memory card, all of which contained child pornography.

Smith admitted to sending the email with the attached child pornography image, using email accounts and the Internet to collect and trade child pornography, and that the devices containing child pornography belonged to him.

Smith's child pornography collection included images of children less than 12 years of age being sexually abused, exploited, and subjected to sadistic and masochistic conduct.

Smith pleaded guilty on August 13, 2013, and was subsequently sentenced to 10 years in federal prison.

Smith was also ordered to serve a 15-year term of supervision following his release from prison and required to register as a sex offender.

The court ordered Smith to forfeit the devices used to store the child pornography.

This case was investigated by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), with assistance from the Brevard County Sheriff's Office.

It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Andrew C. Searle.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the government to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse.

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-mdfl/pr/volusia-county-man-sentenced-10-years-prison-distribution-and-possession-child