MAN FACES 1 TO 15 YEARS IN UTAH STATE PRISON
By: Sachet A. Sullivan
A Cedar City man now faces up to 15 years in the Utah State Prison following a year-long investigation involving child exploitation.
Sterling Smith, 24, was booked into the Iron County Jail Thursday on a second-degree felony for Sexual Exploitation of a Minor.
According to court records filed in 5th District Court, detectives in Payson reportedly began investigating Smith after they received a report from Google that images and videos containing child sex abuse were allegedly downloaded to a Google account belonging to Smith.
Google reported the content to authorities in late January 2024. The information was then forwarded to the Utah Attorney General’s Office for review. It was later sent to the Payson Police Department for investigation.
In early February 2024, police secured search warrants for the accounts and IP addresses where they allegedly found sexual images and videos of a prepubescent minor.
Court records indicate that the birthdate associated with the Google account did not match up with Smith’s date of birth on record with the government. However, South Central Communications was able to trace the potential location of the IP address to Enoch.
The data allegedly revealed that several devices including a Chromebook and multiple cell phones were also accessing the same Google account, the affidavit states.
Phone records also reportedly linked Smith to a T-Mobile phone number, which law enforcement used to confirm his identity.
After months of investigation, the case was forwarded to the Enoch Police Department in November for further investigation.
Enoch authorities reviewed the information and applied for another search warrant from T-Mobile for additional information.
Subsequently, South Central Communications was able to pinpoint the exact location of the IP address to an address in Enoch where Smith reportedly lived. Police also used a Ford F-150 truck registered in Smith’s name that had been parked outside his home for over a month, to confirm his residence.
Prior to his arrest, Smith agreed to be interviewed by police where he was asked to provide his phone number and email address.
Smith allegedly gave officers a different email address than the one associated with the investigation, telling police the other one had been “hacked” so he had to “dump it.”
At the time of the interview, court records show police were already aware that the google account had been terminated and shut down after it triggered a cybertip to Google.
Smith also told police he owned a Chromebook that was attached to the Google account listed in the search warrant.
Smith currently remains in jail pending his initial court appearance. If convicted, Smith faces one to 15 years in the Utah State Prison and a fine of $10,000.
INDIVIDUALS LISTED ON THIS PAGE HAVE BEEN BOOKED INTO IRON COUNTY JAIL AND ARE ACCUSED OF THE FOLLOWING CRIMES BUT ARE PRESUMED INNOCENT UNTIL AND UNLESS PROVEN GUILTY IN A COURT OF LAW.
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