A Marion, Virginia man who used the online messaging application KIK to distribute child sex abuse materials featuring prepubescent children was sentenced yesterday to 87 months in federal prison.
Travis Shane Smith, 38, pleaded guilty in September 2021 to one count of knowingly distributing visual depictions of a minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct.
According to court documents, Smith was identified as being a member of a known child pornography online chat room by an undercover law enforcement officer working out of Wisconsin.
While on KIK’s chatroom messaging board, Smith used the KIK username “tman_1983” to post multiple graphic videos of preteen children engaged in sexually explicit conduct, including two videos of adult males having sex with prepubescent females.
United States Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh, Stanley M. Meador, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Division, and Colonel Gary T. Settle, Superintendent of the Virginia State Police, made the announcement today.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Virginia State Police, the Smyth County Sheriff’s Office, and the Marion Police Department investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lena L. Busscher prosecuted the case.
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