SOUTH BEND – Shane Smith, 35, of Milford, was sentenced on charges of production of child pornography, United States Attorney Clifford D. Johnson said in a news release Tuesday.
Smith was sentenced to about 17 years plus five years of supervised release.
According to documents in this case, Smith created fake social media accounts to befriend minors and persuade them to produce pornography to send him. The investigation revealed that Smith also possessed over 1,700 images and over 950 videos of child pornography on his electronic devices, the release states.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Indiana State Police Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force.
The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood. In 2006, the Department of Justice created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from exploitation and abuse. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
