Utica Convicted Sex Offender Sentenced For Federal Child Pornography Crimes

Saturday, June 14, 2025, 9:00 A.M. ET. 2 Minute Read, By Art Fletcher: Englebrook Independent News,

SYRACUSE, NY.- A 31-year-old Utica, New York, man and previously convicted sex offender will be spending the next two decades in federal prison after being sentenced last week for distributing, receiving, and possessing thousands of digital images and video files depicting the sexual exploitation and abuse of children.

     According to U.S. Attorney Jon A. Sarcone, III, last week, Dustin Smith, 31, of Utica, New York, appeared in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of New York and was sentenced by Senior U.S. District Court Judge David N. Hurd to 240 months in federal prison, to be followed by fifteen years of supervised release for his previously entered guilt pleas to Distribution, Receipt, and Possession of Child Pornography.

     In addition to the term of imprisonment and federal supervised release, Judge Hurd ordered Smith to pay $102,000 in restitution to the identified victims of his crimes.

Smith Admits To Sending Sexually Explicit Images

     During his earlier plea allocution, Smith admitted that he had a 2013 felony conviction for first-degree sexual abuse and that in 2022, while under the supervision of parole for that conviction, he possessed a cellular phone that he further utilized to distribute, receive and possess thousands of digital images and video files of child pornography.

     Smith further admitted that he utilized the cellular phone to exchange video files of child pornography with at least two identified minor children.

     U.S. Attorney Sarcone stated, “While under parole supervision, Smith distributed child pornography to a minor, demonstrating that he cannot be at liberty without harming children. With this 20-year sentence, our children are safer.”