Hearing postponed in child porn case

COEUR d’ALENE — A Spokane man accused of possessing child porn is expected to be back in court next month.

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 infants and toddlers.

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

Judge James Stow ordered that Smith be held on $50,000 bail, which Smith posted.

A preliminary hearing in the case scheduled for today was vacated, as discovery is ongoing.

The hearing is now scheduled for April 8.

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