A Portland man was sentenced to 24 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to charges of online enticement of a minor and receiving child pornography. Shawn Alan Smith, 44, manipulated social media platforms to exploit a nine-year-old child, coercing her to send him sexually explicit photos, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.
Between July and September 2020, Smith used fake profiles on KIK messenger and TikTok to pose as minors and pretended to be a father in a video chat. On March 9, 2022, federal agents arrived at his Portland apartment with a warrant, and Smith tried to destroy evidence by throwing his phone and computer out the window. He was arrested and charged with producing and attempting to produce child pornography. The FBI and Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation, as reported by the U.S. Attorney's Office.
Smith, a repeat offender and registered sex offender due to prior convictions in Oregon and Maryland for child pornography, was sentenced to prison, lifetime supervised release, and required to pay restitution to the victim. The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children provides resources and support at www.missingkids.org, as stated by the U.S. Attorney's Office.
