Contributed Photo/Courtesy GCSO: Leroy Smith, 85, of Pima, faces 10 charges of child exploitation of a minor and is being held on a $250,000 bond. Authorities are asking the community for any possible victims to come forth.
Contributed Article/Courtesy HSI
DOUGLAS — Special agents with Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and officers with the Pima Police Department are seeking the public’s assistance to identify potential victims of a Town of Pima man arrested June 10 for charges related to sexual exploitation of children and other related offenses.
Virgil Leroy Smith, 85, of Pima, made his initial appearance at Graham County, Justice Court on June 11. Smith was given a $250,000 bond by the court where he faces 10 counts of child exploitation of a minor.
The case on Smith began in November 2021, when the Human Exploitation and Trafficking (HEAT) group with HSI Douglas, Arizona received an Internet Crimes Against Child (ICAC) tip concerning an IP address in southeastern Arizona that was actively downloading files containing child sexual abuse material (CSAM). Through investigative techniques, special agents determined that the IP address was assigned to the residence of Smith in Pima, Arizona.
In March 2022, HSI executed a residential search warrant and removed computers and other electronic devices from Smith’s residence to be forensically examined. Forensic analysis of the devices determined that he was actively downloading and storing files containing CSAM.
On June 10, HSI Douglas with the assistance of the Graham County Sherriff’s Office and the Pima Police Department arrested Smith in Pima for violations of ARS 13-3553 – Sexual Exploitation of a Minor.
Anyone who may have had contact with Smith or thinks they may have information that may be relevant to the child exploitation investigation is encouraged to call the HSI toll-free Tip Line at 1-877-4-HSI-Tip. From outside the United States and Canada, callers should dial 802-872-6199. Hearing-impaired users may call TTY at 802-872-6196. Highly trained specialists take reports from the public, victims, and law enforcement agencies related to laws enforced by HSI. You may remain anonymous.
The defendant is considered innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
HSI is a global leader in the fight against child exploitation. Last year, HSI special agents dedicated 1.2 million case hours toward investigating child exploitation. This heinous crime harms the most vulnerable in our society: our kids. As technology evolves and more people have access to the internet, children are at a greater risk than ever. HSI’s special agents and analysts around the world are dedicated to countering this threat.
HSI is the principal investigative arm of the Department of Homeland Security, responsible for investigating transnational crime and threats, specifically, those criminal organizations that exploit the global infrastructure through which international trade, travel, and finance move. HSI’s workforce consists of over 10,000 employees, assigned to 235 offices within the United States, and 93 overseas locations in 56 countries. HSI’s international presence represents the Department of Homeland Security’s largest investigative law enforcement presence abroad and one of the largest international footprints in U.S. law enforcement.
