A man in Tonawanda has pleaded guilty to production of child pornography charges, and faces up to 60 years in prison and/or a $250,000 fine.
According to Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott Allen, who is handling the case, Lancaster Police executed a search warrant for Smith's residence in April 2014. Allen says during this time an external hard drive was taken which showed Jason Smith, 35, was producing child pornography at his residence.
The investigation showed that between 2010 and 2012, Smith manipulated a child under the age of 12 to engage in sexually explicit conduct and produced a visual depiction of the conduct. Investigators say Smith was a friend of the child's father.
Between July 2011 and September 2013, Smith coerced a second victim, a 15-year-old girl he met on MeeMe.com, to engage in sexual intercourse and took pictures of the act.
"This case vividly demonstrates the dangers faced by children in both the real and virtual worlds," said U.S. Attorney William Hochul. "At the same time, let today's conviction and likely lengthy jail sentence be a warning to sexual predators, whether online or on the street, that this Office will find you and prosecute you to the fullest extent of the law."
