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Ex-Springfield assistant coach sentenced for child porn crimes

A former Springfield High School assistant football coach was sentenced to more than seven years in prison for receiving and sharing images of child pornography. Russell Smith, 51, was sentenced to 90 months in federal prison. He previously pleaded guilty to one count of receipt and distribution of child pornography.
Russell Smith

TOLEDO, OH (WTOL) - A former Springfield High School assistant football coach was sentenced to more than seven years in prison for receiving and sharing images of child pornography.

Russell Smith, 51, was sentenced to 90 months in federal prison. He previously pleaded guilty to one count of receipt and distribution of child pornography.

"These are cases with real victims, children whose lives will be forever changed because adults assaulted and violated them," U.S. Attorney Justin Herdman said. "We will continue to work to prosecute those who re-victimize these children by sharing and downloading these images."

Smith received numerous images of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct. This took place between at least March 15 and August 10, 2017. He also possessed more than 20 computer files and images of children, some as young as 8 years old, being sexually abused and/or raped, according to court documents.

Smith also had at least six Skype accounts where he pretended to be a young teen girl while messaging men all over the world about sex, according to court documents.

This case was investigated by the United States Secret Service and the Sylvania Police Department. It is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Tracey Ballard Tangeman.

Smith had been with the Springfield football program since 2013 and had his employment terminated by the school board in August.

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