Jay Clayton, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York | Department of Justice
Justin Heath Smith, also known as “Austin Wolf,” was sentenced to 19 years in prison for crimes involving the sexual exploitation of minors. The sentence was handed down by U.S. District Judge Paul A. Engelmayer after Smith pleaded guilty to enticing a minor to engage in illegal sexual activity and engaging in a pattern of prohibited sexual conduct.
U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton stated, “Justin Heath Smith’s crimes against children are horrible. He targeted kids as young as seven, and every New Yorker wants him and those like him off our streets for as long as possible and never again near our children. The women and men of our Office, and our law enforcement partners, are laser focused on ridding our streets of those who sexually exploit our children. The message to predators from our Office is clear: there is no place for you in New York other than prison.”
Court documents reveal that since at least 2023, Smith repeatedly attempted to exploit minors sexually. In late 2023 or early 2024, he met with a 15-year-old minor along with another adult male (“Male-1”), during which Male-1 performed oral sex on the minor while Smith masturbated. Smith also engaged in sexual acts at least three times with someone he believed was 15 years old; this individual was actually an adult. One such encounter, involving a threesome with Male-1, was recorded by Smith.
Smith made additional plans to meet other purported minors for sexual activity. In January 2024, he arranged with another man (“Male-2”) to abuse a nine-year-old child whom Male-2 claimed to be babysitting; the meeting did not occur because Male-2 called it off while Smith waited downstairs. In February 2024, Smith discussed meeting a purported 14-year-old for sex and provided his location details so the minor could come to his apartment; this encounter also did not take place.
Smith solicited explicit material from at least one actual minor and several individuals who presented themselves online as minors. For example, after being told by a 15-year-old their age, Smith requested sexually explicit content from them; the minor sent him an explicit video.
Prior to his arrest, Smith had arranged to meet someone claiming to be the father of a seven-year-old child who offered access for abuse. Federal authorities executed a search warrant at Smith’s residence before this meeting could happen. Investigators found approximately 1,291 files containing child pornography on his devices—including about 75 files depicting infants or toddlers—and some videos showed violent rape of young children. Authorities said that Smith shared child pornography with at least fifteen others.
Anyone with information about child exploitation is encouraged to contact the FBI at 1-212-384-1000 or through https://tips.fbi.gov/.
In addition to prison time, Judge Engelmayer ordered ten years of supervised release for Smith and imposed a $40,000 fine.
U.S. Attorney Clayton commended the investigative work done by the Federal Bureau of Investigation on this case.
The prosecution was managed by Assistant U.S. Attorney Getzel Berger from the General Crimes Unit.
