Shelby County Released Man Linked to Child Exploitation Material Case on Bond

A Shelby County, Indiana, man accused of possessing child s** abuse material has been released from jail after posting bond, while prosecutors move ahead with a felony case tied to files investigators say show the abuse of infants and toddlers.

Court records show 29-year-old Raymond Smith faces a preliminary Level 5 felony charge for possession of child s** abuse material. His trial jury is scheduled for September 21 in the Shelby Circuit Court.

The investigation began in February. After a detective with the Shelbyville Police Department received a tip involving a man recently detained at Sunrise Park. It was revealed through court documents that authorities were informed that the man possibly had child s** abuse material in his possession, and police found over 113,000 files.

Detectives later issued a search warrant for Smith’s blue Hyundai Accent and the electronic devices he possessed.

Police said investigators recovered a Samsung Galaxy S24 mobile phone, a hard drive, a computer, a thumb drive, and a Kindle tablet with a wireless keyboard. A box of condoms and lubricant was also found by officers during the research.

According to court documents, Smith agreed to provide detectives with the password to his cell phone and the encryption key for the external hard drive.

When investigators asked what they would find on the hard drive, the device allegedly contained images showing children being s**ually abused. He told the detective he had collected the material over the last 5 to 6 years.

“I have been doing this for a while,” Smith told the officers. Documents also claimed that Smith stated that pornographic material involving adults “doesn’t do that for him.”

Detectives reportedly found several digital files on Smith’s devices that allegedly depicted the abuse and exploitation of minors, including pre-pubescent children, infants, and toddlers.

Authorities have not released details about how many files investigators found or whether any additional charges would be pressed as the investigation continues. Online court records state that Smith was released from jail on May 13 after posting a $10,000 cash bond.

Smith is now scheduled to appear in court later this year for trial proceedings related to the case.

Netizens online have also commented on the case, some showing dismay. One user on X wrote, “Collecting harrowing stuff for that long and he's released? Why does that not surprise me? D--n sicko.” Another replied to this, writing, “And they gave that man a low bond to allow him to get out.”

The case currently remains under investigation.