The United States Attorney's Office announced that during a federal court session in Missoula, on December 16, 2011, before U.S. District Judge Donald W. Molloy, RAYMOND DEAN SMITH, a 42-year-old resident of Helena, appeared for sentencing. SMITH was sentenced to a term of:

Prison: 360 months

Special Assessment: $300

Forfeiture: computer equipment

Supervised Release: life

SMITH was sentenced in connection with his guilty plea to sexual exploitation of children.

In an Offer of Proof filed by Assistant U.S. Attorney Marcia K. Hurd, the government stated it would have proved at trial the following:

SMITH came to the attention of law enforcement in Helena as a suspect in numerous incidents where he is alleged to have entered residences without permission. In one incident, SMITH was found hiding in the closet of a relative's 6-year-old daughter, to which SMITH pled guilty in Helena Justice Court on February 16, 2011, to that charge.

When SMITH pled guilty on February 16, 2011, he did not report to jail as sentenced, but fled the area. He was believed to be hiding out in a relative's cabin in Jefferson County where he abandoned various property including a computer, external hard drive, several video cameras and more.

A search warrant was served on SMITH's residence on March 24, 2011, and numerous items of interest were seized. Included in the seizure were VHS tapes manufactured outside the state of Montana that contained child pornography images that SMITH had produced of various girls under the age of 18. While searching the residence, law enforcement officers found that SMITH had cut a hole in the wall between his bedroom and bathroom, where he could surreptitiously view people while they were showering. One of the videotapes found during the search was a video SMITH had taken of an underage girl (d/o/b -/-/93) in the shower engaged in sexually explicit conduct. The taping of that activity occurred sometime between 2006 and 2009 in Lewis and Clark County.

During the investigation, it was learned that SMITH had sexual relationships with several underage girls. In one case, from 1996 through 1999 at Lewis and Clark County, SMITH photographed and videotaped sexual activity with that girl (d/o/b -/-/82) when she was under the age of 18. A videotape was located and it is obvious from the tape that the girl was unaware that the sexual activity was being videotaped.

Because there is no parole in the federal system, the "truth in sentencing" guidelines mandate that SMITH will likely serve all of the time imposed by the court. In the federal system, SMITH does have the opportunity to earn a sentence reduction for "good behavior." However, this reduction will not exceed 15% of the overall sentence.

The investigation was a cooperative effort between the Helena Police Department, the Lewis and Clark County Sheriff's Office, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the Montana Division of Criminal Investigation, and the Montana Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force.

 

 

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