The former Vice Chairman of the Smyth County School Board, Todd Stewart Williams, was sentenced to 30 years in prison for producing child pornography involving at least six minor male victims. Williams, 54, from Chilhowie, Virginia, pled guilty in April 2025 to charges related to persuading and coercing minors into sexually explicit conduct for visual depictions.
In addition to his prison sentence, Williams received 10 years of supervised release and was ordered to pay over $20,000 in assessments. “Children are spending more time online than ever before,” said United States Attorney C. Todd Gilbert. “It is our job in the law enforcement community to protect our kids and prosecute those who prey upon the innocent.”
Stephen Farina, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Division, emphasized the betrayal by Williams: “Todd Williams…committed indefensible acts…FBI Richmond will continue working with state and local law enforcement…to ensure the safety of our children.”
Williams’s criminal activities were uncovered when a 15-year-old boy from Oklahoma reported him to the FBI in September 2022. The investigation revealed that Williams had paid this boy over $2,100 within six months for explicit images.
The FBI identified at least 11 victims through their investigation. To hide his actions, Williams used apps like Snapchat and Telegram which allow messages to disappear after being viewed. He would solicit pornographic material from young boys on these platforms.
Between 2022 and 2024, one teen was paid by Williams to abuse his younger stepbrother while recording it. Payments totaling more than $3,600 were made by Williams during this period.
Williams also used his position with a school basketball team to secretly record boys undressing in locker rooms and set up hidden cameras during trips.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Whit Pierce is prosecuting this case as part of Project Safe Childhood—a Department of Justice initiative launched in May 2006 aimed at combating child sexual exploitation online.
