Man who lived near Biloxi elementary school had child porn. He’s going to prison.

A Biloxi man who downloaded child pornography had images of a girl who has been identified as under the age of 12 when she was victimized.

Along with a prison sentence and a fine, Christopher Bryan Smith was ordered to pay $5,000 under the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act, which gives restitution to identified victims.

Smith, 45, was living on Keesler Circle in a neighborhood with children and near Biloxi Upper Elementary School when he came under investigation, according to court testimony.

Investigators looking at internet protocol addresses identified Smith and a computer file-sharing program he used, leading to a search of his home computer, federal officials said in a news release Friday.

Investigators searched his home in July 2017 and seized his computer and other electronic devices for forensic examinations.

Images he had downloaded were sent to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, which recognized minors in sexual activity. One of them was a child identified as a known victim, said U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst and Homeland Security Investigations Special Agent Jere T. Miles.

At a hearing in February, HSI Special Agent Wes Anthony testified about the investigation, saying, “Our evidence showed he actively pursued these videos, which would indicate child exploitation.”

Anthony said at least 59 school students were living near Smith’s home, including 29 school children living on his street.

Smith had been caught masturbating while he watched children outside his front door, Anthony said, and admitted he was a daily drinker and had DUI arrests in the past.

Smith pleaded guilty in May to one count of knowingly possessing visual depictions of minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct.

U.S. District Judge Sul Ozerden on Thursday sentenced Smith to nine years and one month in prison and fined him $5,000. The fine is in addition to restitution to the victim. Ozerden also ordered 10 years of supervised release.

HSI, which operates under U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, investigated with case with the Gulf Coast Cyber Crime Task Force and the Wiggins Police Department.

Robin Fitzgerald, 228-896-2307, @robincrimenews