On May 24, 2023, the Escondido Police Department received a phone call from an out of state cyber vigilante group who reported they had been communicating with 45-year-old Escondido resident, Douglas Smith. Smith had engaged in an illicit sexual conversation with an adult (“decoy”) who was posing as a child. The group drove to Escondido and confronted Smith at his residence. Once at the residence, the group contacted the Escondido Police Department to inform them of their current situation and what led up to the confrontation. Unfortunately, at the time the group contacted law enforcement, probable cause to make an arrest of Smith did not exist.
The group was encouraged to come to the Escondido Police Department with the evidence of their communications. Escondido Police Detectives from the Family Protection and Child Exploitation Unit met with the group and obtained evidence of communication between Smith and the decoy. Escondido Police Detectives, which are also members of the San Diego Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force, initiated an investigation and developed probable cause to obtain the issuance of a search warrant to seize electronic devices from Smith at his residence in Escondido. Detectives then spent several weeks reviewing the extensive electronic data from Smith’s devices and determined Smith was in possession of hundreds of images and videos of Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM).
With the discovery of CSAM following the lengthy and complex investigation by Det. Rivera, Escondido Detectives placed Smith under arrest for felony possession of Child Sexual Assault Material, a violation of PC 311.11(a) – Possess Child Pornography (CSAM) in the morning of Friday, August 25th at his new residence in Vista.
The Escondido Police Department along with the San Diego County District Attorney’s Office discourages cyber vigilantism and encourages anyone with information related to child sexual abuse, exploitation or online sexual enticement of a child to contact their local law enforcement agency or the San Diego ICAC. Law enforcement professionals investigating these types of egregious crimes have specialized training and follow specific protocols established by ICAC which ensure proper preservation of evidence and professional investigation.
Please follow the Escondido Police Department on social media @EscondidoPolice.
To report any suspicious activities in your neighborhood, you may contact the Police
Department directly, or you may make an unidentified call on our “Anonymous Tip Line” at 760-
743-TIPS (8477) or via our Web site at police.escondido.org
