United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, and Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Christopher G. Raia, has announced the filing of a superseding indictment charging Edward Gene Smith with drugging a female victim with the intent to rape her, sex trafficking another female victim, enticing second victim to travel to engage in unlawful sexual activity, receipt and possession of child sexual abuse material, and obstruction of justice.
Smith is detained, awaiting trial before U.S. District Judge Paul A. Engelmayer. Trial is scheduled to begin on February 23, 2025.
“Smith targeted and abused vulnerable young women by drugging, raping, and sexually assaulting them before exploiting their image on an encrypted messaging platform, as alleged,” said FBI Assistant Director in Charge Christopher G. Raia. “Our investigation also revealed alleged possession of child pornography and an attempt by Smith to obstruct justice. As demonstrated today, the FBI remains relentless in our pursuit to root out those who prey on vulnerable victims and predators who defile the likeness of children through these heinous acts.”
According to the allegations contained in the superseding indictment and in other public statements and filings, from at least in or about 2019 to at least in or about April 2023, SMITH, a senior finance executive of a major U.S. bank, targeted young women on the Internet and enticed them to meet with him at his Central Park South residence and other locations.
On multiple occasions, Smith drugged his victims without their consent or knowledge, sexually abused them while they were incapacitated or unconscious, and photographed or recorded his abuse.
At least on or about April 23, 2023, Smith drugged and raped his first victim in his Central Park South residence.
Smith then shared a video of himself digitally penetrating the victim, who was nude and incapacitated or unconscious, with others via an encrypted messaging platform, on a channel that was dedicated to sharing depictions of incapacitated or unconscious women in sexually exploitative positions.
Previously, in or about 2020, Smith persuaded the second victim, whom she had met a few months earlier when the second victim was a college student, to relocate to New York City.
Smith controlled her finances, social life, and activities, and repeatedly drugged and sexually assaulted her over the course of several months.
From at least in or about 2019 to at least in or about June 2024, Smith also possessed and or received a large volume of images and videos of children being sexually abused on his personal devices.
Finally, in or about August 2024, after a search warrant was executed at his residence, revealing that Smith possessed child sexual abuse material on his electronic devices, Smith paid a victim thousands of dollars to sign a false document in an attempt to obstruct the investigation.
Smith, 50, of New York, New York, is charged with one count of distribution of a controlled substance with intent to commit rape, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison; one count of sex trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion, which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in prison and a maximum sentence of life in prison; one count of enticement to travel to engage in unlawful sexual activity, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison; one count of receipt of child pornography, which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison and a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison; one count of possession of child pornography, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison; and one count of obstruction of justice, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.
