Former Spokesman-Review editor arrested and accused of paying girls for sexually explicit images

SPOKANE, Wash. (AP) — A former Washington state newspaper editor has been arrested on allegations of paying girls in exchange for sexually explicit images. Steve Smith was executive editor of The Spokesman-Review in Spokane from 2002 to 2008. KHQ reports detectives arrested him on 10 counts of  first-degree possession of depictions of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct. He declined a jail interview with his former newspaper. The Associated Press was unable Friday evening to locate an attorney who could speak for Smith. Court documents say 10-to-14-year-old girls sent images to an Instagram account and received money through a cash app account. The documents say internet activity of both accounts were traced to Smith’s Spokane home.