Post by Scumhunter on Nov 21, 2018 1:42:40 GMT -5
(Above photo credit: whio.com)
From whio.com:
A former soccer coach who took off halfway through his sexual assault trial and ditched his ankle monitor is now the subject of a nationwide search.
The arrest warrant for Justin K. Smith of Germantown has been expanded across the country. He is accused of having a sexual relationship with a 14-year-old girl he coached.
His trial on eight charges began Monday.
The 41-year-old testified in his own defense on Wednesday. The court adjourned for a lunch break but Smith didn’t return. Instead, Smith apparently ditched his court-ordered ankle monitoring bracelet and fled.
His ankle bracelet stopped sending signals in the Franklin area. Investigators said they recovered the device in the back of a pickup truck not far from Caesar Creek. The truck’s owner had no connection to Smith, they said.
People in Smith’s hometown are surprised by his disappearance.
“Shows you’re guilty, shows you’re very guilty, I think,” Amanda Patrick said.
“So often young women aren’t listened to and the fact they listened to her and followed through makes me happy for our community,” said Anna Stueder.
A judge ordered Smith on home detention as part of his bail while waiting for and during his trial.
The electronic home detention program is one that Montgomery County Prosecutor Mat Heck Jr. has expressed concerns about. He recently cited crimes committed by people on EHDP.
The program manager said there are typically about 80 people at a time on electronic home monitoring.
“We monitor 24/7 and we respond to alerts 24/7,” Mary Kay Sterling said.
www.whio.com/news/local/soccer-coach-accused-inappropriate-relationship-with-teen-takes-the-stand/JHcT5gut2PjtzrfqHbtjFO/
Thoughts? I am adding Smith as a breaking news fugitive case because of the news that he was recently spotted in Tennessee (after he was believed to have been in Lexington, KY), and may be headed further South. Montgomery County (Ohio) detectives say financial records show Smith has been eating at Panera and Chili's restaurants near Nashville and Murfreesboro, TN, even using Uber to get around: www.wdtn.com/news/local-news/fugitive-youth-coach-justin-smith-sighted-in-tennessee-may-be-headed-further-south/1607459915
P.S. as of this posting date (11/20/2018), Smith is obviously still at large based on the new articles, but just so we have another way to track the status, Montgomery County Ohio criminal court records still show no records of Smith being back in custody yet as of this posting date as well. (They show a capias, a jury finding him guilty despite his absence etc, and other legal filings but no updates on warrant status since they were issued on October 31st/November 1st: www.clerk.co.montgomery.oh.us/pro/
P.P.S. Articles still don't list a direct number or website to call or send in tips, so for now I'd call 911 or your local Crime Stoppers or police if you believe you've spotted Smith.
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