Justin Smith

> “I’m so sorry! I’m so sorry!”
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>  - Smith seeing his promising career go down the drain.
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Smith's RSO mugshot

**Justin Taylor Smith**  is a suspected predator involved in the Long Beach, California edition of **To Catch a Predator**. His case would be a highlight of the many suspected predators caught due to his involvement with the children’s channel Nickelodeon.

## Biography

Justin Smith was a 27-year-old freelance post-production editor at Nickelodeon at the time he started chatting with "Carly", a girl he believed to be thirteen. Smith made several concerning statements and engaged in grooming behavior. Although he claimed to feel "bad" about talking to the decoy, Smith admitted to finding her attractive, revealing that he harbored inappropriate thoughts despite knowing her age.
As the conversation continued, Smith began to probe the decoy about her previous relationship, asking if she had done anything beyond kissing with her former partner. Smith then escalated his behavior, telling the decoy that he wanted to kiss her and eventually convincing her to see his penis on a webcam. The next day, Smith revealed that he was a video editor and admitted to being "kinda perverted" during their previous conversation. He also acknowledged that exposing himself to someone under the age of 18 was dangerous and illegal. Smith asked the decoy if she had ever witnessed sexual activity and remarked that such content is "more raw and rough on the web." He inquired if she had ever given oral sex to her previous partner and if she had consumed his semen. Smith expressed his belief that the "stuff" tasted good after a woman became aroused. He also asked if her ex-boyfriend had ever performed oral sex on her. During the conversation, Smith sent 50 explicit adult pornography videos and instructed the decoy on how to delete her internet history. He admitted to wishing he was younger and stated that they couldn't have a relationship, but could engage in "fun" activities.

Further on in the conversation, he added that he enjoyed performing oral sex on women, relishing the taste and satisfaction of making them orgasm with his tongue. He rationalized that when a man and woman are friends, they can engage in pleasurable activities without being in a romantic relationship. He expressed a desire to be that "friend" for the decoy, hinting that he was tempted to take things further. Smith openly admitted that the idea of performing oral sex on the decoy excited him greatly. He then proposed the idea of having "phone sex" and expressed his desire to talk about sexual matters with the decoy over the phone, describing it as "pretty cool". Smith said he was taken aback when he learned that a 13-year-old girl was interested in having sex with him, remarking that he was surprised such a "hot" young girl would desire him. However, he quickly switched gears and began expressing concern about the legal consequences of his actions, acknowledging that he could be arrested and imprisoned if caught. But this moment of apprehension was short-lived, as Smith went on to describe in graphic detail how he wanted to perform oral sex on the decoy, using explicit language to describe his preferred technique of "tongue fucking." Smith acknowledged that their conversation was illegal as the decoy was a minor, but he did not seem concerned as he suggested using a pillow to prop her up during oral sex and engaging in "dry humping." He also reminded the decoy to delete her internet history. Several days later, Smith resumed sending pornographic links and emphasized the importance of deleting her internet history. He asked the decoy if she preferred watching oral sex or intercourse, and if she enjoyed watching blowjobs more than the act of ejaculation itself.

Smith asked the decoy about her grooming habits, specifically whether she shaved her genitals. He also mentioned that he had taken some precautionary measures, such as deleting some pornographic links. Despite providing his phone number to the decoy, Smith was hesitant about her writing it down, fearing that someone might discover it. He again expressed concern about the possibility of getting caught and stated that he did not want to be seen engaging in inappropriate behavior with a 13-year-old. Additionally, Smith revealed his desire to engage in physical intimacy with the decoy, expressing interest in activities such as kissing, making out, and oral sex. Smith made inappropriate comments about wanting to "suck and nibble" on the decoy's breasts. Before ending the chat, Smith emphasized the importance of being cautious, stating that he wanted to be "100%" certain that no one would see him, his car, or any evidence of their encounter. He acknowledged the danger of their situation, noting that meeting the decoy was the most "dangerous" thing he had ever done and that he could not afford to be caught. Smith expressed concern about the legal consequences of engaging in sexual activity with a minor, saying that he did not want to hurt the decoy and hoped she could trust him. He proposed taking things slowly and suggested making out and potentially trying oral sex if the decoy was interested.

## Sting and Arrest

Upon arriving at the sting house, Smith was greeted by an 18-year-old actress posing as the 13-year-old girl, who informed him that she had made them drinks and had a hot tub. The decoy also mentioned that she enjoyed the pornographic links he had sent. Smith revealed that it took him about 21 minutes to drive to the house due to traffic in North Hollywood. However, Chris Hansen then revealed himself and instructed Smith to take a seat. Smith appeared shocked and quickly grabbed his keys, attempting to run out of the sting house. However, he was stopped by Long Beach police officers. Smith began to cry uncontrollably and repeatedly apologized, claiming that he never intended to do anything wrong. During his police interview, Smith expressed his concern that his arrest could have a negative impact on his job, friends, family, and the dog him and his girlfriend had together. He was shown sobbing with his glasses off at the processing center. Following his arrest, Nickelodeon terminated Smith's employment and stated that he had no contact with children during his time working there.

### Aftermath

After his arrest, Smith was charged with one felony count of lewd or lascivious acts with a child under 14 years of age and another felony count of attempted distribute harmful matter depicting minor/sent to minor via the internet or email. On January 31, 2007, Smith would later plead no contest against both felony charges he was facing. While Smith avoided jail time, he was sentenced to five years of probation, was required to register as a sex offender for the rest of his life, Caltrans cleanup for 60 days, undergo sexual offender counseling, abstain from internet usage, avoid any contact with children under the age of 18, and refrain from owning or viewing any form of pornography. At some point in 2007, Smith moved to Florida but would later relocate back to Los Angeles, California.

## Trivia/Post-Predator Activites

* During a Reddit AMA in June 2021, where participants shared information about men caught on the show, a user claimed to have worked at Nickelodeon, though they did not have a direct relationship with Smith. The user pointed out that Smith's employment at Nickelodeon was problematic since the company caters to children. The user also stated that people who knew Smith were taken aback by his actions. Smith's girlfriend, who also worked at the studio, reportedly had a difficult time with the situation. The user alleged that Nickelodeon introduced strict background checks for new hires and a zero-tolerance policy for any misconduct involving children following Smith's arrest. The user concluded by noting that the hiring process at Nickelodeon is more demanding than that of any other studio.
* In an ironic connection, Smith being an employee at Nickelodeon, was chatting with a girl named "Carly". One of Nickelodeon's more famous live action shows was a teen comedy called *"iCarly"*, which was produced by Dan Schneider. Schneider was fired from Nickelodeon after young girls complained of harassment from him. As well as this, recent accusations have surfaced regarding Drake Bell grooming minors. Drake was one of the lead stars in the Schneider-produced Nickelodeon comedy *"Drake and Josh."*
* Smith watched his father die.

## References

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 https://meganslaw.ca.gov/OffenderDisplay.aspx?searchby=offender&ID=27407051L1590&NSOPRFlag=True&x=8c7b00cd-94ea-41d1-9184-c59b48180674
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 https://offender.fdle.state.fl.us/offender/sops/flyer.jsf?personId=59244&x=5bad5086-68b2-443e-a865-b1659af081f3
3. ↑ https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna16895737
4. ↑ http://www.perverted-justice.com/?con=residentsmith
5. ↑ https://www.buzzfeed.com/hannahmarder/people-who-knew-men-on-to-catch-a-predator-men-tell-stories