Leesville attorney sentenced to 14 years for enticement of a minor

Lake Charles, LA (KPLC) - A Leesville attorney who pleaded guilty to enticement of a minor was sentenced Thursday to 14 years in prison.

Judge James D. Cain Jr. also sentenced Michael Allen Smith Jr., 33, to 20 years of supervised release to follow his prison sentence. Smith pleaded guilty on Feb. 17.

According to information from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Smith was in a sexual relationship with a 15-year-old boy whom he met on dating app Grindr.

The boy initially told Smith he was 21 years old, but later confessed that he was a minor. However, Smith continued the sexual relationship.

The FBI began investigating in January 2020 after the boy’s mother reported that while her son was visiting a relative in the Leesville area, he met and engaged in sexual conduct with a man.

The mother said she had seen a video on her son’s phone of he and the man engaged in sexual conduct. She turned the phone over to law enforcement.

When the boy was interviewed by law enforcement, agents determined that he had engaged in sexual acts with Smith, who recorded them on his phone at his residence in Leesville.

The boy said he met Smith on the social media platform Grindr and initially told Smith that he was 21 years old. He later confessed that he was a minor, but Smith continued the sexual relationship.

Smith also visited the boy’s profiles on social media and knew he was a minor.