SMYTH COUNTY, Va. (WJHL) — The vice chairman of the Smyth County School Board has been arrested on child exploitation charges, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) said.

The Department of Justice announced in a press release that Todd Stewart Williams was arrested at his home on Friday.

Williams allegedly spent more than $10,000 between May 2022 and January 2024 to purchase nude photos and sexually explicit videos from underage victims. The DOJ reports that Williams enticed at least six victims during that time.

An investigation into Williams was launched after a 15-year-old Oklahoma boy reported to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) that Williams had solicited nude photos and videos from him on Snapchat.

The teen told authorities in an interview that he met Williams in a Snapchat group meant for gay teenage boys, the DOJ reported. Williams reached out after the two began chatting and allegedly offered to pay for in-app purchases in a video game if the victim sent him nude photos.

According to the Justice Department, Williams sent the teen nearly $1,000 in total for photos and videos between August 2022 and January 2024.

After receiving the Oklahoma teen’s report, the FBI began investigating Williams further. Investigators also reportedly learned of a January 2023 instance in which Williams paid another teen to send him photos and videos of himself sexually abusing his younger, 10-year-old stepbrother.

According to the Justice Department, Williams sent $600 to the teen through Cash App and then sent a debit card hidden in a pair of shoes to pay the minor.

In another case, Williams allegedly paid another teenage boy more than $3,000 for nude photos and videos of him and his teenage boyfriend.

The FBI is still investigating the case.

“Sexual exploitation and abuse have increased exponentially through the use of the Internet, particularly online gaming platforms,” Christopher R. Kavanaugh, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Virginia, said in the press release. “The safety and well-being of children in our communities are top priorities of 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.”