PEORIA, Ill. — An East Peoria man was sentenced Wednesday to 12 years and seven months in prison for possession of child pornography, followed by a life term of supervised release.
The United States Attorney’s Office said Noah J. Smith, 37, of East Peoria, was not fined, but will be required to pay $23,000 in restitution.
At the sentencing hearing, the government presented evidence that a U.S. Probation Officer found an LG smart phone on Smith’s bed during a March 2021 visit to his home. The phone had not been reported as required under the conditions of a supervised release for a prior conviction for receipt of child pornography.
An investigation indicated Smith was in possession of numerous videos and images of child pornography.
Also at Smith’s sentencing hearing, U.S. Judge James Shadid said Smith had a history of committing crimes of aggravated criminal sexual abuse after he placed a cloth soaked in ether over a child’s mouth and then sexually abused the child.
Judge Shadid also noted Smith’s 2008 conviction for receipt of child pornography and that Smith had begun supervised release in that case only months before he was again arrested in 2021 for possession of child porn.
Smith was indicted for possession of child pornography in April 2021 and pleaded guilty in September 2021. He admitted to violations pertaining to his supervised release, and was sentenced to the custody of the Bureau of Prisons for 24 months, to run concurrent with his sentence in instant case.
The statutory penalties for possession of child pornography are a mandatory 10 to 20 years imprisonment with a qualifying prior conviction; a maximum $250,000 fine; a maximum lifetime term of supervised release; and other fines.
