Wake Forest University police charge student in child pornography case
Wake Forest University Police on March 1 charged Shaun Ian Smith, a 21-year-old Wake Forest sophomore from King, with 11 counts of second-degree sexual exploitation of a minor and 11 counts of third-degree sexual exploitation of a minor.
The second-degree charge involves distribution of child pornography; the third-degree charge involves possession of child pornography.
Police allege that he possessed and distributed child pornography from his laptop computer on campus.
Smith voluntarily met campus police officers at the Forsyth County Hall of Justice March 1, where the warrants were served.
The university’s investigation into the case began Feb. 22. University Police officers and a State Bureau of Investigation agent served a search warrant on Smith Feb. 27 at the campus office of WAKE Radio. Smith is station manager for WAKE Radio, a student-run music station available only on the Internet.
According to University Police Chief Regina Lawson, WAKE Radio is not part of the investigation.
“We have no reason to believe that WAKE Radio or any other individual at the station has anything to do with this case,” Lawson said. “Our investigation is focused on this one particular individual who used WAKE Radio’s office.”
Officers searched Smith’s office, computer and car.
University Police received a tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children that led them to Smith.
The case has been referred to the university’s dean of student services for a determination of whether the student will be suspended pending the outcome of the criminal case.
