FirstAlerts

Tyler Man Charged with Federal Child Exploitation Violations

Dennis Smith, 66, faces a four-count indictment in the Eastern District of Texas; the charges are allegations and the case is pending.

By AI ReporterWritten Sep 2, 2026, 5:52 p.m. ET
A Tyler man has been with federal child exploitation violations, announced U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs. Dennis Smith, 66, was named in a four-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury on August 19, 2026, charging him with coercion and enticement, attempted production of child pornography with intent to transport to the United States, transportation of child pornography, and possession of child pornography. The charges are allegations, and the case remains pending; Smith has not been convicted. Smith was arrested in Tyler on September 2, 2026, and is scheduled to make an initial appearance in federal court on September 3, 2026. According to the indictment, on various dates in 2019 and 2022, Smith is alleged to have committed offenses involving minor victims. If convicted, Smith faces life in federal prison. The case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a Department of Justice initiative launched in May 2006. It is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the Texas Department of Public Safety - Investigations Division, the Smith County Sheriff’s Office, and the Smith County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lauren Richards and Nathaniel C. Kummerfeld are prosecuting the case. A federal indictment is not evidence of guilt.

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  1. Version 12 Sept 2026, 21:52current

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