The passenger also alerted a flight attendant who confronted Smith and told him to shut off his MacBook, which was bought by a grant from the university, Bennett said.
After being confronted by the flight attendant, Smith allegedly tried to erase images from his computer.
The images were mostly of girls between 8 and 10 years old, naked or nearly naked, engaging in simulated sex acts. Some of the pictures were of children as young as 6, Bennett said.
State Police met Smith’s flight on Saturday, searched his laptop, and allegedly discovered “disturbing images of child pornography,” said State Police spokesman David Procopio.
Smith is a professor of material science and engineering and an adjunct professor of chemical engineering at the University of Utah. He has two bachelor’s degrees and a doctorate, and he has worked at the university for 14 years, Bennett said.
Smith wore a dark gray blazer over a black polo shirt in his court appearance,. He stared into the distance and did not speak. His lawyer entered his not-guilty plea for him before Judge Kenneth Desmond.
He was placed on administrative leave by the university following his arrest.
“Professor Smith deserves a full and fair investigation into this issue,” the university said in a statement released on Sunday. “The University of Utah, however, has no tolerance for the viewing or possessing of child pornography by any of its employees, regardless of where it occurs.
The school’s statement continued, “As a result, if the allegations against professor Smith are found to be true, the university will immediately seek professor Smith’s dismissal.”
Procopio said the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, which is run by the State Police and specializes in investigation of online sexual exploitation and trafficking of children, has joined the investigation.
Smith had been held on $15,000 cash bail since his arrest.
