DALLAS, March 29 -- A former high-ranking Boy Scouts of America official has been charged with possession and distribution of child pornography.
Douglas Sovereign Smith Jr., 61, who as program director coordinated scouting activities with schools and churches, was accused of receiving images over the Internet in February of children engaging in oral sex, intercourse and other sexually explicit conduct. The charges were filed by federal prosecutors March 21.
"We're shocked and dismayed to learn of this," said Gregg Shields, national spokesman for the Boy Scouts, based in the Dallas suburb of Irving. "Smith was employed by the Boy Scouts for 39 years, and we had no indication of prior criminal activity."
Law enforcement officials indicated the pictures did not show boys who were with the Boy Scouts organization, Shields said.
Smith's job did not involve working directly with children, Shields said. Smith was put on leave immediately after Boy Scout officials learned of charges, then chose to retire, he said.
Smith, reached Tuesday at his home in Colleyville, near Fort Worth, referred all questions to his attorney, Jack Strickland, who said: "He's not taking this well. I've got to tell you, this is a good man, and I would hate to see the entirety of his life and the good things he's done defined by one incident."
He was scheduled to appear in federal court Wednesday.
"This is the first time ever we recall anything like this being charged against a Boy Scouts employee," Shields said. "We're proud of our dedicated and hardworking people but never heard of anything like this."
