By Alex McCuaig

Child porn charges

Former CCDA director facing child porn charges

Nov 22, 2019 | 3:29 PM

Medicine Hat, AB – The former director of the City Centre Development Agency (CCDA) is facing child pornography charges, CHAT News has learned.

Wayne Smith, 65, is facing allegations of accessing and possessing child pornography and was arrested on June 20, 2019.

The allegations stem from incidents which occurred between November 2018 and June 2019 – more than two years after being let go from the downtown development agency.

Smith was released on conditions including he not have unsupervised contact with children under the age or 16 or work with teens under that age as well as having limited access to the Internet and only for approved work purposes.

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Smith’s tenure as executive director at the CCDA between 2014 and 2016 was tumultuous.

Allegations of sexual harassment by those who worked at the CCDA-run Monarch Theatre resulted in an investigation which found no substantiation of criminal acts being committed.

The former executive director was also involved in an alleged assault by a local community Internet blogger in tense exchanges regarding questions related to the harassment claims.

Those charges resulted in a peace bond requiring the accused not have contact with Smith.

Smith ceased being director of the CCDA in March 2016.

His next court appearance is scheduled for Dec. 19 with the Crown proceeding by way of the less serious summary – rather than indictable – charge which carries a maximum two year custodial term and minimum six months imprisonment.