Cary Man Sentenced in Child Pornography Case

WILMINGTON, N.C. – A Cary man was sentenced today by Chief Judge Richard E. Myers II to a total of 165 months for Receipt of Child Pornography.  On February 19, 2021, Randall Womble Smith, 66, pled guilty to the charges.

According to court documents and other information presented in court, the Cary Police Department conducted a proactive investigation attempting to identify individuals using dark web websites and programs to distribute and collect child pornography.  Based upon their investigation, detectives received a search warrant for Plastic Tooling Corporation to search for child sexual abuse material.  They requested assistance from the Department of Homeland Security for the execution of the search warrant and the remainder of the investigation. 

Smith, owner of the company was present when law enforcement arrived.  Smith admitted to downloading and possessing child pornography.  He admitted he had been looking at child pornography for a decade.  When his digital devices were seized, investigators found nearly 9,000 images and videos of child pornography. 

G. Norman Acker, III, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after the sentencing by Chief U.S. District Judge Richard E. Myers II.  The Cary Police Department and the Department of Homeland Security investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Charity Wilson  prosecuted the case.

This case was part of the Project Safe Childhood initiative, a national program aimed at ensuring that criminals exploiting children are effectively prosecuted by making full use of all available law enforcement resources at every level.  For more information about this important national project, Project Safe Childhood, go to www.projectsafechildhood.gov.

Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:20-cr-00438-M-1.