Child porn case heads to district court

POST FALLS — The case of a Spokane man accused of possessing child pornography was bound over to district court Thursday.

Chadlen D. Smith, 36, is charged with sexual exploitation of a child by possession of sexually exploitive material, a felony, and with distribution/exhibition of obscene material, a misdemeanor.

Smith was arrested in January for allegedly stalking a Post Falls Police Department employee. He was later arrested again and charged with violating a protection order.

Electronics in Smith’s possession at the time of his arrest were seized as possible evidence in the stalking case, according to court documents.

Forensic examination of the devices allegedly yielded multiple images of nude children, as well as other photos of children that did not qualify as child pornography.

Police arrested Smith on Jan. 11 for suspicion of sexual exploitation of a minor.

He was reportedly released from jail the following day, as charges had not yet been filed.

A warrant for Smith’s arrest was issued Jan. 22. He was arrested Jan 29.

Smith posted $50,000 bail in the case.

Post Falls Police Detective Neil Uhrig testified in court Thursday that Smith said he used the internet to search for photos of children that were nude but “not illegal.”

Judge Mayli Walsh ordered Thursday that the case against Smith should proceed.

Smith has a prior felony conviction of injury to a child stemming from a 2009 lewd conduct with a minor case.