Acting United States Attorney Jan Sharp announced that Dakota S. Smith, 27, of Red Oak, Iowa, and who at the time of his offense lived in Lincoln, Nebraska, was sentenced today in federal court in Lincoln for receipt of child pornography. United States District Judge John M. Gerrard sentenced Smith to 76 months in prison, to be followed by an 8-year term of supervised release. Smith was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $9,000. There is no parole in the federal system.
Agents with the United States Department of Homeland Security received a tip that Smith had shared child pornography over the internet. The investigation led to agents obtaining a search warrant for Smith’s residence, which was executed on June 4, 2020. Electronic devices belonging to Smith were found in the home and images and videos depicting child pornography were found on those devices. Approximately 95% of the child pornography found on Smith’s devices portrayed victims under the age of 12, and about 25% of the material showed victims who were infants or toddlers.
In addition to the Department of Homeland Security, the Nebraska State Patrol and the Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office contributed substantially to this investigation.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
