Big Arm man pleads guilty to child sexual exploitation

A Big Arm man accused of felony child pornography recently pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court.

Billy Dean Smith, 55, appeared in court in Missoula July 23 and pleaded guilty to sexual exploitation of a 12-year-old girl.

Smith is facing 15 to 30 years in federal prison, a $250,000 fine, a probation term of between five years and life. He must also pay a minimum amount of $3,000 restitution to the victim.

Smith must register as a sex offender and maintain it where he lives and works. He agreed to a plea deal July 10 with federal prosecutors. Five other charges were dropped.

Judge Donald W. Molloy presided. Smith currently is in federal custody.

His sentencing hearing is set for 9 a.m. Friday, Nov. 6 at the Russell Smith Courthouse in Missoula.

According to court documents, Smith was a member of an online group where members are known to discuss the online exploitation of children and trade child pornography. An undercover agent advised FBI officials that Smith allegedly distributed child pornography within the group, and allegedly admitted to the undercover agent in a message that he sexually abused a child.

A federal search warrant was issued Feb. 6 for Smith’s Big Arm home and vehicle, and he was arrested the next day. According to court documents, FBI agents found child pornography on his phone during the arrest, and Smith subsequently admitted to creating and distributing child pornography.

According to court documents, Smith videotaped the 12-year-old girl in a state of undress and also videotaped a sex act he performed in her presence while she slept. The acts occurred between January and February of 2020.

Scott Shindledecker may be reached at 758-4441 or sshindledecker@dailyinterlake.com