HANCOCK COUNTY, W.Va. – The Hancock County Sheriff’s Office reported the arrest of a Virginia man for sex charges involving a minor child while using social media.
In early September 2025, the Hancock County Sheriff’s Office began investigating Dustin McKinley Smith (37 years of age) who was residing in Wise, Virginia. The investigation included Smith using social media platforms to engage with a 13-year-old female in Hancock County.
Subsequently, Smith was charged with WV State Code 61-8-32(b), Soliciting a minor and traveling to engage the minor in prohibited sexual activity. Once charges in Hancock County, WV were filed, Virginia Law Enforcement placed Smith under arrest and conducted a search warrant for his residence.
Once he waived extradition, the Hancock County Sheriff’s Office transported Smith from Virginia to Northern Regional Jail in Moundsville, WV where he is currently being held on $75,000 cash bond. Additional charges are pending upon the completion of search warrants for various electronic devices.
The Hancock County Sheriff’s Office would like to thank the Wise, Va. Police Department, Wise County, Va. Sheriff’s Office, and the Virginia State Police with their assistance in this investigation. Sheriff Gittings would caution parents to monitor their child’s social media accounts due to the increasing number of child predators using these platforms.
