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New Rochelle resident Charudet Smith, also known as Charles Smith, was arrested on Thursday, Feb. 8 on sexual exploitation charges, the US Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York announced on Friday, Feb. 9.
According to federal officials, from around Dec. 21, 2019, up to around Feb. 13, 2020, Smith impersonated several people and created a series of Instagram accounts, email addresses, and phone numbers to deceive a 17-year-old teenager into sending him sexually explicit videos and images.
He also used these identities and accounts to convince the teenager to meet with him in Seattle, Washington to engage in sexual activity, officials said.
Specifically, Smith would pose as an established freelance photographer for a well-known international camera company and tell the victim, who was an aspiring teenage photographer, that he had several contacts in the industry and could act as his mentor. He would then allegedly pose as numerous employees of this company who appeared to offer the victim a position in a much-sough-after youth professional development program, according to the US Attorney's Office.
However, Smith was never an employee of this company and was never paid by them for any services or employment.
Smith is now charged with one count of sexual exploitation of a minor, which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in prison and a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison.
US Attorney Damian Williams condemned Smith's actions.
"Charudet Smith allegedly constructed an elaborate web of lies and fabricated multiple identities in order to gain the trust of an unsuspecting minor," Williams said, adding, "Today’s arrest underscores the urgent need to protect children from the dangers posed by predators who use social media to prey on children both online and in person.”
Anyone else who may have encountered Smith or whose child may have been in communication with him is asked to contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI (225-5324).
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