An Austin man charged in a 2019 online child sex exploitation case made his first court appearance in Mower County District Court. Jacob Steven Smith, 29 is accused of exchanging sexually explicit text messages with a 13-year-old girl. The reports showed the victim was interviewed about the incident by the Grand Meadow Police Department, during which she indicated that she sent a partially nude photograph of herself to Smith. He claimed the victim told him she was 18. Smith’s next court appearance is set for Oct. 5.
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