Vice chair of Smyth County School Board arrested on child exploitation charges

A Chilhowie man who serves as vice chairman of the Smyth County School Board was arrested Friday and charged with sexual exploitation after an FBI investigation revealed that he spent more than $10,000 buying nude images from at least six juveniles he met online, according to a news release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Virginia.

Todd Stewart Williams, 53, is accused of enticing young boys to send him nude images and sexually explicit videos of themselves and others between May 2022 and January 2024. Three boys mentioned in court documents were between the ages of 10 and 15, while the others were referred to as teenagers.

According to the criminal complaint filed in U.S. District Court in Abingdon, Williams faces a federal charge of sexual exploitation of children, but it does not say how many counts have been filed. A spokesperson for the U.S. attorney’s office for the Western District of Virginia did not respond to an email seeking more information.

“Sexual exploitation and abuse have grown exponentially through the use of the internet, especially its online gaming platforms,” U.S. Attorney Christopher Kavanaugh said in the release. “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.”

The investigation began after a 15-year-old Oklahoma teenager told the FBI in September 2022 that someone had requested nude images and videos of him through Snapchat, according to an affidavit filed by an FBI agent.

The teen told investigators he met the person in a Snapchat group for gay teens and soon after, the person offered to make in-app purchases in an online video game in exchange for nude photos of the teen, according to the court documents. Between May 1 and Oct. 1, 2022, the person sent the teen more than $2,000 for nude photos and videos, the documents state.

The FBI launched an investigation into the Snapchat activities and tied Williams to the username through subpoenas and record searches. They found multiple instances of exploitation of minors connected to that username, including one in which the user offered to purchase items for an online game for a then-12-year-old, who was sent nearly $1,000 for nude images and videos between August 2022 and January 2024, the affidavit says.

In January 2023, the court documents say, Williams met another teen on Snapchat and paid him to take pictures and videos of him sexually abusing his stepbrother, who was 10 years old at the time. Over six months, Williams is accused of paying more than $3,500 for nude photos and videos of the two boys.

In another case, Williams paid more than $3,000 to a teenage boy for nude photos and video of him and his teenage boyfriend, according to the court documents.

After being arrested at his home, Williams made an initial appearance in federal court in Abingdon on Friday morning. He was being held Friday night at the Southwest Virginia Regional Jail in Abingdon pending a preliminary and detention hearing scheduled for 10:30 a.m. Thursday.

On the county school board, Williams represents the Chilhowie District; his four-year term ends in December 2027, according to the school district website.

School board Chair Susan Williams did not immediately return a phone call Friday seeking comment on Todd Williams’ status on the board. It was not clear Friday whether the two are related.

The board reorganized in January, when Todd Williams was chosen to serve as vice chair.

Under Virginia law, a circuit court may remove an elected official for “neglect of a clear, ministerial duty of the office, misuse of the office, or incompetence in the performance of the duties of the office,” as well as for the conviction of certain crimes, like hate crimes or sexual battery. The removal petition must receive signatures of registered voters in the district equal to 10% of the votes cast at the last election for that position.

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