FORT KNOX, Ky. – An Army sergeant who initiated sexually explicit communications with five children and produced, received and possessed child pornography pleaded guilty to his crimes during his court-martial July 8–9 at the Fort Knox Courtroom.
Sgt. Jacob R. Smith, 25, was sentenced by the military judge to 14 years in prison, total forfeiture of pay and allowances, reduction in rank to E-1, and a dishonorable discharge from the Army.
In February 2025, the Mentor Police Department in Ohio was informed that a minor under the age of 16 was soliciting children in school to provide nude photos and videos of themselves.
An investigation was initiated, and it was discovered that Smith was engaging in sexually explicit communications with the minor using Snapchat. These conversations included demands for the victim to send Smith nude photos and videos of himself and encouraged him to recruit other children to do the same.
When authorities with the Mentor Police Department discovered that Smith was in the military, they notified agents with the Department of the Army Criminal Investigation Division who initiated their own investigation.
Smith, a network communication systems specialist assigned to the 2nd Brigade, Ohio National Guard, was on active duty at the time, attached under the 1st Theater Sustainment Command and deployed in the U.S. Central Command area of operations.
Army CID agents with the CENTCOM CID Resident Agency seized Smith’s electronic devices and obtained records from Snapchat. A digital forensics examination of the devices, combined with data provided by Snapchat, revealed that Smith had engaged in sexually explicit communications with five underage victims, both boys and girls, all between the ages of 14 and 15 at the time of the offenses.
“Child exploitation has absolutely no place in our ranks. A 14-year sentence and a dishonorable discharge send a powerful message: the Office of Special Trial Counsel and the entirety of the military justice system will aggressively prosecute those who use technology to victimize children, and the consequences will be severe,” said Maj. Jason Sayre, prosecutor, Third Circuit, Army OSTC.
“The Department of the Army Criminal Investigation Division’s mission is to combat child exploitation, uncovering the truth to protect the vulnerable, and expose predators in our ranks,” said Special Agent in Charge John McCabe, Army CID’s Midcentral Field Office. “This outcome was made possible by the crucial assistance of the Ohio Mentor Police Department, standing as a testament to what can be achieved through a unity of effort.”
“For too long, five children carried this alone. They don’t have to anymore. In America’s Army, protecting the vulnerable is a duty, and today, we did ours,” said Capt. Lucas Rubio, prosecutor, 1st Theater Sustainment Command.
“This case serves as a heads up to those who use the internet to abuse our children; you will be found and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law,” said Capt. John R. Serrano-Sanabria, prosecutor, 1st Theater Sustainment Command.
Smith will serve his confinement at the United States Disciplinary Barracks at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. Upon release from prison, he will be required to register as a sex offender and will be subject to federal and state sex offender registration requirements.
This case was investigated by the Mentor Police Department, Mentor, Ohio, Army CID’s Fort Knox Resident Agency and the CENTCOM CID Resident Agency.
About the Army Office of Special Trial Counsel: The Army Office of Special Trial Counsel is composed of specially trained military lawyers, legal professionals and support staff responsible for the expert and independent prosecution of murder, sexual assault, domestic violence, child abuse, kidnapping and other serious criminal offenses. Headquartered at Fort Belvoir, Va., OSTC has eight regional headquarters that oversee 28 field offices located worldwide, including locations in Europe and Korea. For more information visit the official OSTC website.
To Report a Crime: If you would like to report a crime, have information about a crime, or have been the subject or survivor of a crime, you can submit anonymous tips to Army CID through the https://www.p3tips.com/tipform.aspx?ID=325.