Former MTV star Connor Smith has been arrested in Florida for child sex crimes following a year-long search.
Law enforcement tracked down Smith on Thursday at a residence in Clearwater, Florida.
The officer arrested Smith, 33, on an open warrant originating from Lake County, Illinois.
The warrant was issued in February 2023.
Page Six reported:
The former reality star went on the run after allegedly being caught interacting with an undercover officer who was posing as a minor for “several weeks” online.
At the time, Illinois police claimed Smith had sent explicit videos and images of himself to the officer, thinking they were a 15-year-old girl.
Smith allegedly planned a meet-up with the minor to engage in sexual acts. When he tried to carry out his alleged plan in February 2023, the reality TV star was greeted by detectives.
Smith, however, was able to escape and fled in his vehicle.
According to a report from The Blaze, the Lake County Sheriff’s Office announced that detectives obtained a nationwide arrest warrant for Smith.
Smith was accused of committing three felonies:
Traveling to meet a minor
Grooming
Disseminating harmful material
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Smith attempted to groom a girl under the age of 15 and meet her for sex in Illinois, according to police.
Police added that Smith communicated with a girl under the age of 15 for several weeks. However, the girl was actually an undercover detective.
The snare was part of an undercover sting to catch child predators.
Smith reportedly sent the “girl” sexually explicit photos and videos of himself before trying to meet the “child” for sex on Feb. 9, 2023.
When Smith went to meet the girl, detectives attempted to arrest him, but he escaped the authorities.
In December 2021, Smith was arrested for alleged rape and assault of a girl, 16, in Indiana.
He was later charged with felony rape, sexual battery, and two counts of criminal confinement.
Page Six added:
The young girl claimed Smith forced her to perform oral sex on him while he drove them to a motel. She also alleged he was “slapping and choking her multiple times, urinating on her in the motel room, and forcing oral sex again.”
However, the charges were later dropped after the alleged victim stopped cooperating with investigators and prosecutors.
Smith appeared in the third season of the MTV reality series and dating show “Are You The One?” in 2015.
Smith found the “perfect match,” but the couple split up after filming the reality TV show.
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