SMYTH COUNTY, Va. – The Vice Chairman of the Smyth County School Board is facing federal charges for allegedly spending thousands of dollars to buy sexually explicit content from underage victims, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.
Todd Stewart Williams was arrested at his home last Friday on federal child exploitation charges and has been accused of spending more than $10,000 to buy nude images and sexually explicit videos from at least six minors between May 2022 and January 2024.
“Sexual exploitation and abuse have grown exponentially through the use of the internet, especially its online gaming platforms,” said Christopher R. Kavanaugh, United States Attorney for the Western District of Virginia. “The safety and well-being of children in our communities are top priorities of my Office, and we are committed to the joint efforts with our law enforcement partners to relentlessly pursue these perpetrators and ensure they are brought to justice.”
“This case is a reminder of the constant threat of child exploitation minors face online,” said Stanley M. Meador, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Richmond Field Office. “Whether an offender sexually abuses a child in person or online, the FBI and our partners will continue to seek justice for innocent victims by holding offenders accountable.”
Law enforcement was first alerted of Williams’ alleged criminal activity in September when a 15-year-old teen living in Oklahoma told the FBI that Williams had asked for nude images and videos of him under the Snapchat username “todd_w3411.″
In an interview with investigators, the teen reported that he and Williams met in a Snapchat group meant for gay teenage boys. Not long after the two began talking, Williams reached out to the teen and offered to make in-app purchases in an online video game in exchange for nude pictures, according to the DOJ.
From May 1, 2022, to Oct. 1, 2022, Williams sent the 15-year-old more than $2,000 in exchange for nude images and videos, the DOJ reports. This investigation prompted the FBI in Richmond to look further into the Snapchat activities linked to the “todd_w3411″ account.
Their investigation found that Williams used Snapchat to communicate with a then 12-year-old minor and offered to purchase items for an online game before eventually offering to buy nude pictures and videos from the boy. Between Aug. 2022 and Jan. 2024, Williams sent the young victim close to $1,000 in exchange for sexually explicit content, the DOJ states.
In Jan. 2023, Williams met another teen on Snapchat and paid him to take pictures and videos of him sexually abusing his younger stepbrother, who was 10 years old at the time, according to the DOJ. When the teen reached the $600 monthly limit on Cash App transactions, Williams mailed him a debit card hidden inside a pair of shoes to continue purchasing videos. Within six months, Williams paid more than $3,500 for nude images and videos of the teen and his stepbrother.
In another interaction with a young teenage boy on Snapchat, Williams paid more than $3,000 in exchange for nude images and videos of him and his teenage boyfriend, the DOJ added.
Anyone who has information about this matter or who feels they may have been a victim is asked to contact the FBI Richmond Division at 804-261-1044.