Vice Chairman of Smyth County School Board Arrested for Child Abuse

A Chilhowie man who is vice chairman of the Smyth County School Board was arrested Friday and charged with sexual exploitation after an FBI investigation found he spent more than $10,000 to purchase nude images of at least six minors 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 luring young boys to send him nude pictures and sexually explicit videos of themselves and others between May 2022 and January 2024. Three of the boys mentioned in court documents were between the ages of 10 and 15, while the others were described as teenagers.

According to the criminal complaint filed in U.S. District Court in Abingdon, Williams is charged in federal court with sexual exploitation of children, but it did not say how many counts were filed. A spokesman 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 increased exponentially through the use of the Internet, particularly its online gaming platforms,” ​​said U.S. Attorney Christopher Kavanaugh in the press release. “The safety and well-being of children in our communities is a top priority for my office, and we are committed to working 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 Williams had solicited nude photos and videos from him under a Snapchat username, according to an FBI agent's affidavit.

The investigation began after a 15-year-old Oklahoma teenager told the FBI in September 2022 that someone had requested nude photos and videos from 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 shortly after, the person offered to make in-app purchases in an online video game in exchange for nude photos of the teen, court documents say. Between May 1 and Oct. 1, 2022, the person sent the teen more than $2,000 for nude photos and videos, documents say.

The FBI launched an investigation into Snapchat activity and linked Williams to the username through subpoenas and records searches. They found several cases of exploitation of minors associated with that username, including one in which the user offered to purchase items for an online game for a then-12-year-old who received nearly $1,000 for nude images and videos between August 2022 and January 2024, the affidavit states.

In January 2023, court documents say, Williams met another teenager on Snapchat and paid him to take pictures and videos of him sexually abusing his then 10-year-old stepbrother. Williams is said to have paid more than $3,500 over six months for nude photos and videos of the two boys.

In another case, Williams paid a teenager more than $3,000 for nude photos and videos of him and his teenage friend, court documents show.

After his arrest at home, Williams made his first appearance in federal court in Abingdon Friday morning. He was held Friday night at the Southwest Virginia Regional Jail in Abingdon pending a preliminary hearing and detention hearing at 10:30 a.m. Thursday.

Williams represents the Chilhowie district on the county school board. His four-year term ends in December 2027, according to the school district's website.

School board chair Susan Williams did not immediately return a call Friday seeking comment on Todd Williams' status on the board. It was unclear Friday whether the two are related.

The board was reorganized in January when Todd Williams was elected vice chairman.

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

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