Attorney General Christopher S. Porrino announced that a suspended employee of the New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development was arrested today on charges that he used his state computer to search for and view Explicit Images of Minors. He allegedly had more than 100 files of Explicit Images of Minors stored on optical disks and a thumb drive found in his cubicle at work.
Kevin Smith, 64, of Westmont, N.J., who was an executive assistant in the Division of Income Security, was arrested today on a charge of third-degree possession of 100 or more files of Explicit Images of Minors. Third-degree crimes carry a sentence of three to five years in prison.
For most third-degree offenses, there is a presumption that first-time offenders will not be sentenced to prison under New Jersey sentencing guidelines, but the charge of possession of 100 or more files of Explicit Images of Minors carries a presumption that even first-time offenders will be sentenced to prison.
Smith was suspended from his position in June – and subsequently retired - after supervisors at the Department of Labor and Workforce Development received information that he allegedly was viewing inappropriate materials on his work computer. After confirming suspicious files on his state-issued computer, they alerted detectives from the New Jersey State Police DTIU. Smith’s computer was secured and thumb drives and optical disks were seized from the computer and desk in Smith’s cubicle. A forensic examination of Smith’s state computer revealed that Smith allegedly had conducted searches for Explicit Images of Minors on the computer.
Detectives obtained search warrants for the thumb drives and optical disks and reviewed them at the State Police Forensic Technology Complex in Hamilton. A total of more than 100 files of Explicit Images of Minors allegedly were discovered on one of the thumb drives and several of the optical disks.
Smith was charged by complaint-warrant. He was lodged in the Camden County Jail with bail set at $50,000.
Attorney General Porrino and Director Honig urged anyone who has information about the online distribution of Explicit Images of Minors– or who suspects improper contact by unknown persons communicating with children online or possible exploitation or sexual abuse of children – to please contact the New Jersey Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force Tipline at 1-888-648-6007.