Child Sex Offender in St. Augustine Pleads Guilty to Producing Video of Abusing Minor

Christopher Lee Smith, a 42-year-old man from St. Augustine, Florida, has pleaded guilty to using a child to produce a video of himself sexually abusing the child. Smith, who is a registered child sex offender, faces a minimum mandatory penalty of 25, up to 50 years, in federal prison and a potential life term of supervised release. He was arrested on September 2, 2021, and has been detained since that time. His sentencing hearing has not yet been scheduled. Smith had previously been convicted of traveling to meet a child to commit a sex offense on January 10, 2012.

Court documents reveal that on June 28, 2021, Smith engaged in online conversations with an undercover FBI agent, who was posing as the parent of a minor child, on a social media application. During the conversations, Smith expressed his desire to have sex with the “child” and discussed in detail the sexual acts he wished to perform. On August 30, 2021, Smith sent a video to the undercover agent that depicted him sexually abusing a child. FBI agents were able to identify both Smith and the child through further investigation. Smith was arrested on September 2, 2021, and his cellphone was seized, revealing sexually explicit online conversations with the child and a video showing him sexually abusing the child.

The investigation into Christopher Lee Smith was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Assistant United States Attorney D. Rodney Brown is prosecuting the case. This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse. Project Safe Childhood, led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, aims to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit www.justice.gov/psc.

Christopher Lee Smith’s case highlights the importance of efforts like Project Safe Childhood in combating child sexual exploitation and abuse. The case demonstrates the vigilance of law enforcement agencies in identifying and prosecuting individuals who engage in such heinous acts. Smith’s guilty plea and the severe penalties he faces underscore the serious consequences of exploiting and abusing children. The collaboration between federal, state, and local resources in cases like these is crucial in protecting vulnerable children and holding perpetrators accountable for their actions. The investigation and prosecution of Smith serve as a reminder of the ongoing need to address and prevent child sexual exploitation in our communities.