United States Attorney David Metcalf announced the arrest and indictment of Isaiah Smith, an 18-year-old from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Smith faces one count of possession of child pornography. According to the indictment, Smith possessed visual depictions of prepubescent minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct. These materials reportedly included videos that he recorded while sexually abusing two young children—a six-year-old girl and a nonverbal three-year-old boy—over more than a year.
The case emerged after a friend allegedly witnessed Smith orally raping one of the victims. If convicted, Smith could face up to 20 years in prison, with a mandatory minimum sentence of five years to lifetime supervised release. Additional penalties include mandatory financial penalties and registration as a sex offender under SORNA and Megan’s Law.
This prosecution is part of Project Safe Childhood, an initiative launched by the Department of Justice in May 2006 to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse. The project aims to utilize federal, state, and local resources for apprehending offenders who exploit children online and rescuing victims.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI alongside the Philadelphia Police Department Special Victims Unit. Assistant United States Attorney Michelle Rotella is prosecuting the case.
It is important to note that charges contained in an indictment are accusations; all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in court.