An 18-year-old man from Philadelphia, Isaiah Smith, has been charged with possession of child pornography. The United States Attorney David Metcalf announced the arrest and indictment of Smith, who is accused of possessing visual depictions of prepubescent minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct.
According to court filings, these materials included videos that Smith allegedly recorded while sexually abusing two young children: a six-year-old girl and a nonverbal three-year-old boy. The abuse reportedly occurred on multiple occasions over more than a year. The discovery was made after a friend walked in on Smith during an incident involving one of the victims.
If found guilty, Smith could face up to 20 years in prison, with a mandatory minimum sentence of five years. Additional penalties include lifetime supervised release, financial penalties, and registration as a sex offender under SORNA and Megan’s Law.
This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, an initiative launched by the Department of Justice in May 2006 to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse. The project involves collaboration between federal, state, and local resources to apprehend offenders and rescue victims. More information about this initiative can be found at projectsafechildhood.gov.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI alongside the Philadelphia Police Department Special Victims Unit. Assistant United States Attorney Michelle Rotella is prosecuting the case.
It is important to note that charges are merely accusations at this stage; every defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty in court.
