Two arrested for possession of child pornography

Attorney General Dustin McDaniel announced that agents from his office have arrested two Crawford County men for possession of child pornography.

Wendel Vaughn Smith, 45, and William Vincent Smith, 48, both of Alma, were arrested by agents from the Attorney General’s Cyber Crimes Unit today. The two men, who are brothers, are being held in lieu of bond at the Crawford County Detention Center.

Wendel Smith was arrested for 20 counts of distributing, possessing or viewing matter depicting sexually explicit conduct involving a child, a Class C Felony. William Smith was arrested for five counts of the same crime.

The two men lived in the same residence, 227 Orick Road, in Alma. A forensic examination of electronic evidence seized from the residence indicated that multiple images of child pornography were on computers used by the brothers.

“Internet child pornographers victimize children every time they commit these unlawful, unconscionable acts,” McDaniel said. “We believe the evidence in this case will show that these men were in violation of state law. Our Office will continue to pursue investigations and arrests of those across the state who would engage in this type of activity.”

Special Agent Wes Baxter of the Attorney General’s Office began investigating the men in September after suspecting that child pornography was being possessed at their residence.

Agents executed a search warrant at the residence in October. At that time, agents seized a computer belonging to Wendel Smith, a computer belonging to William Smith, and other electronic evidence.

The Crawford County Sheriff’s Office and Crawford County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office assisted in the investigation and arrest. The Attorney General’s Office will turn its completed case file over to Crawford County Prosecutor Marc McCune.

Charges are merely accusations and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.