Episcopal school headmaster jailed on child porn charges
Source: Anglican Ink
The former headmaster of St. Anne’s Episcopal School in Middletown, Del., has entered a plea agreement with state prosecutors after being charged with 25 counts of felony dealing in child pornography.
On 4 September 2025 Justin Lee Smith pled guilty to a single count of dealing in child pornography prior to trial and was sentenced to four years in prison, followed by five years of probation and mandatory registration as a sex offender for 25 years. Smith had been held on a $625,000 cash bail since his arrest in January, and had been dismissed by the school shortly after his arrest. Located on 125 acres in southern New Castle County, St Anne’s has approximately 300 students in elementary and middle schools and is considered the top private school in the state.
The Delaware Department of Justice and State Police Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force initiated the investigation based on CyberTips, which identified Smith’s use of multiple accounts to upload and distribute sexually explicit material involving minors.
Court records reviewed by WHYY-TV in Philadelphia indicate Smith downloaded and shared over two dozen videos depicting violence against girls ranging from approximately age 6 to 16. No victims affiliated with St. Anne’s or the local community were identified in the prosecution, and school officials cooperated from the outset prosecutors said.
The negotiated plea dropped 24 original charges against Smith in exchange for the conviction. Delaware Deputy Attorney General Kristina Bensley secured the agreement in court with defense counsel, though neither commented publicly on the decision to reduce the charges. AG press secretary Caroline Harrison explained to WHYY that the plea ensured Smith “will never work with children or live near a school again.”
St. Anne’s Episcopal School released a statement expressing relief at the quick resolution of the case and gratitude to law enforcement and prosecutors for securing a conviction.