Charles County State’s Attorney Tony Covington announced that Circuit Court Judge Donine Carrington Martin sentenced Dennis Demoine Smith, 66, of Nanjemoy, to 118 years in prison Tuesday for dozens of child sexual exploitation offenses.
Smith received the term April 28, 2026, following his conviction on 28 counts of use of a computer to depict a minor in a sexual act and 237 counts of possession of child pornography. A Charles County jury returned the guilty verdicts October 22, 2025, after a three-day trial.
The investigation began between January and April 2023 when the Charles County Sheriff’s Office received 14 cyber tips from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. The reports indicated that files containing child sexual abuse material had been uploaded to Verizon Cloud linked to Smith’s phone number.
Detectives reviewed the tips and obtained a search warrant for Smith and his Nanjemoy residence. Authorities seized several electronic devices during the search. Forensic examination uncovered numerous files depicting children under age 16 in abusive situations.
Smith was arrested November 19, 2024. Further analysis revealed additional material, including 28 screen recordings created by Smith himself.
At sentencing, Assistant State’s Attorney Edward Stickles asked for a 120-year term. He emphasized that most videos showed prepubescent children being sexually assaulted by adults.
“These cases are not victimless crimes,” Stickles said. “The victimization of these children does not end. It continues each time someone downloads or uses these videos. These children suffer lifelong consequences because the videos are on the internet and will never go away.” He added that victims “have to live with the pain and trauma. Some of these kids may never recover.”
Judge Carrington Martin addressed Smith directly during the hearing. She stated that such crimes ensure “the victimization doesn’t end but happens again and again and again. Victims suffer ongoing harm knowing that strangers continue to view their bodies. The harm is not contained to a single moment of time.”
The judge described distributors and viewers as “enablers of a system that perpetuate harm” and said “the online exploitation of children will be met with punishment.”
The sentence breaks down as one year of incarceration on each of counts 1 through 28, served consecutively. Counts 29 through 265 each carry six months, consecutive to one another but concurrent with the first group of counts.
This case highlights ongoing efforts by Charles County law enforcement and prosecutors to combat online child exploitation. The sheriff’s office digital forensics unit played a key role in building the evidence through detailed examination of seized devices.
Southern Maryland authorities continue to stress the importance of reporting suspected child sexual abuse material through the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children CyberTipline. Such tips often trigger swift local investigations that protect vulnerable children and hold offenders accountable under Maryland law.
Smith’s conviction and lengthy sentence reflect the serious nature of these offenses and their lasting impact on victims. The material recovered involved repeated exploitation that extends far beyond initial creation, as digital files can circulate indefinitely online.
Charles County officials have not released additional details about the specific content beyond what was presented in court. The case remains closed following sentencing.
