Man could be sent to jail for sex with teen
By JOHN MANGALONZO
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WAPELLO — Forbidden love may be as old as time, but for a 21-year-old Letts man, serving a prison term may be just a matter of time.
That’s if Jack Michael Smith is convicted of third-degree sexual abuse, a charge lodged by Louisa County Sheriff’s officials on allegations Smith had a romantic/sexual relationship with a 15-year-old girl, who now is pregnant. He was arrested Thursday.
Earlier in March, the girl, accompanied by her father, spoke to detectives at the sheriff’s office where she claimed Smith fathered the child she was carrying.
The girl said the series of three sexual encounters with Smith were not forced, but were consensual, and they started in November. Court records show the baby is due in September.
During an interview with detectives, the girl’s father said he learned about his daughter’s pregnancy in January, and he felt the romantic relationship between his daughter and Smith was wrong. He cited the age gap between the two as well as the fact that girl’s mother is engaged to Smith’s father.
Smith moved into the home of the girl’s mother, the day after Thanksgiving. Detectives did not disclose whether the 15-year-old also lived there.
The mother, according to the investigation, learned her daughter and Smith were sleeping together in December and had talked to the girl about it.
Smith and the girl met some time in November at Smith’s father’s home in Letts. Soon after, the two began seeing more of each other and developed a romantic relationship.
However, contrary to what the girl told detectives, Smith claimed to have had at least 10 encounters with the teen between late November and January.
When confronted by his father, Smith denied having any kind of relationship with the girl. But Smith’s father later told detectives his son has accepted the responsibility of being the father of the girl’s unborn child.
Smith has been released on bond, jail officials said.
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