Berkeley County man sentenced for child pornography

MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Eric Eugene Smith, of Falling Waters, West Virginia, was sentenced today to 97 months incarceration for possessing child pornography, United States Attorney Bill Powell announced.

Smith, age 51, pled guilty to one count of “Possession of Child Pornography” in January 2019. Smith admitted to having child pornography of children under the age of 12 in his possession in September 2018 in Berkeley County.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberley D. Crockett prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the West Virginia State Police investigated. 

This case is prosecuted 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 about Project Safe Childhood, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc/.

Chief U.S. District Judge Gina M. Groh presided.