Santa Margarita man cops to child pornography charge

July 1, 2015
Santa Maria High School teacher Michael Smith

Santa Maria High School teacher Michael Smith

A Santa Margarita man and former high school teacher will serve jail time for a child pornography offense. [KSBY]

Michael David Smith, 53, pleaded no contest Tuesday to one felony county of possession of child pornography. Smith previously faced an additional charge of distribution of child pornography.

The plea deal will require Smith to spend 180 days in San Luis Obispo County Jail. He also must pay a fine and register as a sex offender.

Smith was a teacher at Santa Maria High School, where he was also the assistant coach for the varsity boys’ basketball team.

In January, San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s detectives served a warrant at Smith’s I Street home near Santa Margarita Elementary School. Detectives seized computers, laptops, external hard drives, memory cards and DVDs.

One external hard drive alone had multiple images of prepubescent children engaged in sexual acts.

Smith is not currently in jail, according to the sheriff’s office website.


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Maybe Cuesta College will have a job for him when he gets out.


Can we just euthanize people like this? Save us all some money and time. Thanks!


not before we find out who produced and distributed images found on his machine.