"Disgraced Clerical Figure in Delaware, Accused of Distributing Child Abuse Videos, Escapes Most Charges with only One Remaining, Sparking Outrage"
In a shocking turn of events, Justin Lee Smith, the former head of St. Anne's Episcopal School in Middleton, Delaware, was arrested on 25 counts of felony dealing in child pornography. The arrest came after investigations revealed that Smith had been using a file-sharing app to distribute at least two dozen child sex videos, with many clips allegedly showing girls from about the ages of 6 to 16 being forcibly raped by men.
Prior to his tenure at St. Anne's, Smith had held leadership roles at two Christian schools in Florida and was the head of school at The Ellis School in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. However, his time at the Southfield School in Louisiana raised concerns among some parents, as they alleged that Smith had an affair with a female staff member amid accusations of lurid behavior inside the school.
Stefanie Novak, a parent at St. Anne's, felt sick when she learned about Smith's arrest and was upset when many charges were dropped in a plea bargain. Novak faults St. Anne's for hiring Smith and is appalled at the school for putting him in charge. As a result, she has taken her son and daughter out of St. Anne's, citing her disappointment in the school for hiring Smith and the light sentence he received.
The references provided by Smith from the Southfield School gave 'glowing accolades' about him. Yet, Smith sent an email containing a porn actor's name and the word 'threesome' to families at the Southfield School. Southfield School provided service letters to two state agencies and a positive letter of reference to St. Anne's, expressing no concerns about Smith.
Harry Baetjer, the board president of St. Anne's, thanked police and prosecutors for winning a conviction and said the school community is focused on moving forward. However, Novak is not the only parent who feels let down by the school. Smith was sentenced to four years in prison and five years of probation, and will have to register as a sex offender for 25 years.
Caroline Harrison, press secretary for Attorney General Kathy Jennings, did not specify why so many counts were dropped but said Smith is paying for his crimes. Prosecutor Kristina Bensley and defense lawyer John Deckers would not discuss the case with the news website. A St. Anne's trustee confirmed the absence of concerns with two Southfield employees.
As the St. Anne's community grapples with the fallout from this scandal, many are left questioning how such a person could have been hired and what steps will be taken to ensure the safety and well-being of the students in the future.
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