Former Durango teacher sentenced to 40 years for exploiting children on Snapchat
Benjamin Smith has been sentenced to 40 years in federal prison after sexually exploiting children in the community.
Digital Assignment Editor
A former Albuquerque teacher has been sentenced to 40 years in federal prison after sexually exploiting children in the community.
Benjamin Smith is a former middle school teacher at Escalante Middle School in Durango who posed as a 16-year-old female on Snapchat named “Kristin.”
While disguised, Smith reached out to adolescent boys in the Durango area, engaged in conversation, and sent them naked photos of a young girl.
He asked his targets to reciprocate, often directing them to take specific pictures of their bodies. In total, Smith was charged with producing child pornography in this manner with 36 victims.
Smith was found to have engaged in sexual acts with 11 minors; several of his victims were as young as 13 years old; one was 12 years old.
Several of the victims reported previously having Smith as a middle school teacher.
Smith’s sentence will be followed by a lifetime of supervised release.
