Gaffney Man Sentenced to 78 Months on Child Porn Charges

Contact Person: Bill Watkins (864) 282-2100

Columbia, South Carolina ---- United States Attorney Bill Nettles stated today that Donald Howard Smiley, age 38, of Gaffney, was sentenced today in federal court in Anderson, for  possession of child pornography, a violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2255A.  Senior United States District Judge G. Ross Anderson, Jr. of Anderson sentenced Smiley to 78 months imprisonment and ordered that he be on supervised release for five years.

Evidence presented at the change of plea hearing established that law enforcement discovered that a cell phone in the Gaffney area was being used to store and receive child pornography.  Further investigation revealed that the mobile device belonged to Smiley.  A search of the device led to the discovery of 138 still images and 26 videos of child pornography. After being confronted with the evidence, Smiley waived his Miranda rights and admitted to his involvement with child pornography.

The case was investigated by agents of the Gaffney Police Department, the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Department, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.  Assistant United States Attorney Bill Watkins of the Greenville office handled the case.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys Offices, 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 identify and rescue victims. For more information, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.