Lincoln Man Sentenced to 11 Years for Distribution and Possession of Child Pornography

United States Attorney Lesley A. Woods announced that Jacob Smith, 34, of Lincoln, Nebraska, was sentenced on December 18, 2025, in federal court in Lincoln for one count of distribution of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography. Smith was previously employed as a family physician at CHI Health. United States District Judge Susan M. Bazis sentenced Smith to a total of 132 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Smith’s release from prison, he will begin a 7-year term of supervised release.

On January 17, 2025, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI)-Omaha received information regarding an ongoing undercover chat on a social media platform in furtherance of a child exploitation investigation.  Through the investigation, HSI was able to determine that the user of the social media account was Jacob Smith.

On January 17, 2025, a federal search warrant was executed at Smith’s residence.  During the search, eight electronic devices were seized.  Search warrants were also executed for Smith’s various social media accounts. A forensic review was completed of the devices and accounts.  In total, law enforcement located 8,955 images of child pornography pursuant to the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), 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 to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.

This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations.