Connor Smith - the former reality television star - has finally been arrested after being on the run for over a year.
Fox News reports that the 33-year-old Smith was arrested on Thursday, March 28, 2024.
The charges, according to the outlet, date back to 2015, when Smith "was wanted on three felony charges, including traveling to meet a minor for a sexual encounter, grooming, and disseminating harmful material."
The arrest warrant for Smith, however, was not issued until February 2023, which is why he has technically only been on the run for about 13 months.
The Lake County Sheriff’s Office has detailed the allegations that Smith is facing in a public statement.
"Connor Smith kept engaging this [underage] girl in communication, in conversation, eventually sending lewd photos of himself to who he thought was this girl, really an undercover detective, and then worked out a plan to meet who he thought was this girl to engage in a sexual relationship," the office said.
The officers then set up a sting operation, but Smith managed to escape.
Fox 32 reports that Smith managed to drive away from police when they attempted to arrest him last year.
"He led investigators from the Lake County Sheriff’s Office on a brief high-speed chase as they tried to arrest him for indecent solicitation of a child," the outlet reports.
It adds, "The chase began around 6 p.m. in the parking lot of a Lake County shopping mall. Investigators said Smith drove from his Orland Park home in the 8200 block of Hillcrest Drive to meet who he thought was an underage girl for a sexual encounter . . . When Smith pulled into the parking lot, Covelli said sheriff’s officers immediately approached his pickup truck and Smith hit the gas."
Fox 32 reports that the chase had to be called off because Smith was driving at "a dangerous and excessive speed."
Smith was recently sighted in Southern Florida. Police located him, and, on Thursday, were finally able to take him into custody.
Fox News reports:
Smith was booked into the Pinellas County Jail that same day at 2:01 p.m. local time. According to an affidavit obtained by People magazine, Smith did not have any weapons on him at the time of his arrest. The affidavit further stated that Smith did not appear to be under the influence of drugs and there were no signs of mental health issues.
Smith is most known for appearing on MTV's dating show, Are You The One. Smith made an appearance as a cast member during season three of the program.
