The St. Thomas high school coach accused of sexually abusing student-athletes and documenting those acts with pornographic images pleaded not guilty in U.S. District Court Wednesday. The arraignment hearing for defendant Alfredo Bruce Smith took place virtually before U.S. Magistrate Ruth Miller.
Jury selection and a trial for the track and field coach – who also worked as a hall monitor at Charlotte Amalie High School – could begin before the end of 2021.
At the time he was arrested in September, Smith was charged with producing child pornography. On Wednesday a lawyer representing Smith entered not guilty pleas to 10 alleged offenses. Three more local charges, for second-degree rape, were not addressed in the hearing.
Miller assigned the case to Chief District Court Judge Robert Molloy. Jury selection is scheduled for Dec. 13. Smith was arrested on Sept. 1 after officials from the Department of Homeland Security were told of allegations of wrongdoing involving students and former students from the Charlotte Amalie High School. He is currently being held in federal detention, pending trial.
If found guilty, Smith could receive a maximum sentence of 30 years in federal prison, with the potential for a second trial and sentencing on the local rape charges still pending.
Department of Education spokesperson Cynthia Graham confirmed Wednesday that an internal investigation is underway to determine what happened at the St. Thomas high school where some of Smith’s offenses allegedly took place. Graham said she did not know what stage the investigation had reached to date.
“I have not heard from them,” the spokeswoman said.
