Posted on 11/28/2011 10:52:13 AM PST by raccoonradio
BOSTON - A University of Utah professor pleaded not guilty on Monday to charges that he viewed child pornography on his laptop during a flight from Salt Lake City to Boston.
Grant D. Smith, 47, of Cottonwood Heights, Utah, was ordered held on $75,000 cash bail.
Smith, a professor in the university’s materials science and engineering department, was arrested Saturday afternoon on possession of child pornography charges shortly after disembarking the Delta Airlines flight.
Smith was sitting in first class when a passenger behind him saw the images and became concerned. The passenger took a cellphone picture of Smith, then alerted a flight attendant and emailed a relative about the situation, authorities said. The relative contacted law enforcement, prosecutors said.
Prosecutors said that Smith tried to erase pictures of what appeared to be pre-teen girls engaged in sexual acts after a flight attendant told him to turn off his computer.
The recently divorced Smith was met at the gate by state police, who asked for and were granted permission to view the contents of the laptop. Investigators allege they found several images of nude or nearly nude children, including girls apparently as young as 6 years old.
"Child pornography is a form of child sexual abuse - nothing less," state police spokesman David Procopio said in a statement. "Those who possess it - a crime unto itself - foster an evil network that sexually abuses and exploits children irreparably."
The judge in East Boston District Court also ordered Smith to have no unsupervised contact with children under 16, to surrender his passport and to refrain from using the Internet except for business purposes if he makes bail.
Smith’s lawyer argued for lower bail, saying his client had no criminal record and had been at the university for 14 years.
He was in Boston to attend the Materials Research Society’s weeklong fall meeting and exhibit, scheduled to start Monday.
The university placed Smith on administrative leave pending the outcome of the case.
"Professor Smith deserves a full and fair investigation into this issue," a university statement said. "The University of Utah, however, has no tolerance for the viewing or possessing of child pornography by any of its employees, regardless of where it occurs."
Smith will be fired if convicted, the statement said.
The investigation is ongoing and Smith is scheduled to return to court on Dec. 27, authorities said.
The recently divorced Smith was met at the gate by state police...Investigators allege they found several images of nude or nearly nude children, including girls apparently as young as 6 years old.
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Wonder why he's divorced now?
Is this thread hijacking? My reaction to this story, Sandusky, etc. is that the media and politicians create the illusion they are protecting children, when they are busy destroying our children.
throw him in the oubliette
he looks like a scumbag
That face just screams out “I’m a kiddie-porn-loving animal”
my reaction is that these perverts -who have always existed- are more likely to be caught and prosecuted today than at any time in history.
Was he doing research into intergenerational relations?
So, what if this dude’s ex-wife sent him emails with these images knowing he would open them on the plane?
Amen. The media gets all in a dither when someone gets accused of possessing child porn but then they close ranks when they’re protecting a child rapist like Roman Polanski.
>>In court, prosecutors revealed that police discovered dozens of pictures of girls as young as 5 years old on Smith’s computer. When questioned by investigators, Smith admitted he traded images of a pornographic nature with others over the Internet.
>>On the flight, after being asked by a flight attendant to turn off his computer, he began erasing those files.
A spokesman for the state police (Procopio) issued a statement Sunday, saying:
“One hopes there is a special place in hell for the evil people who make, trade and possess child pornography. Until they get there, we are committed to putting them in jail.”
The University of Utah released a statement on Monday saying they have a zero tolerance policy when it comes to anyone viewing child pornography.
Read more: at Ch 7 Boston
In keeping with the holiday spirit perhaps a nice bow tied around his manhood, if found guilty, out of Det-Cord.
A pedophile has been engaging in this kind of activity for decades. Its not something that happens out of the blue. You have to wonder why he wanted to be caught.
Unlikely if the divorce was finalized.
That would cut off his ability to pay alimony.
Assuming this woman scorned is rational, of course.
“my reaction is that these perverts -who have always existed- are more likely to be caught and prosecuted today than at any time in history.”
I dont know for sure but I think the Internet has in fact multiplied this stuff as never before in history. It probably also is enticing and enabling more perversion than ever before.
They are chasing unlimited dissemination of this stuff with very limited resources.
And then there is the “legal” stuff which is endless. And the young people involved in it to make a fast buck. That’s why I say they pretend to care about kids when kids are awash in pornography, drugs, alcohol, grade cheating, marxism, etc.
Unbelievable. This is just one of probably thousands of these freaks working in and around our schools. I don’t care what they say alot about controlling themselves. If you are on a diet, you don’t go in the candy store, if you have an alcohol problem, you don’t go to a bar. Why? The temptation can be overwhelming. Same with these freaks. Why are they around kids - because they hope an opportunity will present itself at some point.
>>He was in Boston to attend the Materials Research Society’s weeklong fall meeting and exhibit, scheduled to start Monday.
I don’t know if he’ll be able to raise that bail but it looks like he’ll be missing that week-long conf. that starts today.
Note that he is due back on Dec 27 and I would think the univ. has put him on a leave of absence—and they say he will be fired if convicted.
Soon to be taking up residence in a jail? Don’t know how much of a sentence he’d get but he’s sure to say bye-bye to the university job.
sick person, and amazingly stupid to boot. Many, many years in the pen coming up.
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