Upshur County man sentenced to 14 years for child pornography charge

ELKINS, WEST VIRGINIA – James Andrew Smith, of Buckhannon, West Virginia, was sentenced today to 168 months incarceration for a child pornography charge, United States Attorney Bill Powell announced.

Smith, age 58, pled guilty to one count of “Possession of Child Pornography” in May 2018. Smith, having previously been convicted of possession of child pornography, admitted to having computer disks and other materials containing child pornography in his possession. The crime occurred in November 2015 in Upshur County.

Smith was also ordered to pay $16,000 in restitution and ordered to forfeit computers, cameras, and other items.

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/.

Assistant U.S. Attorney David J. Perri prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The West Virginia State Police investigated. 
 
U.S. District Judge John Preston Bailey presided.