Man charged with impregnating girl, 11, arrested

Authorities on Tuesday evening found and arrested the 59-year-old Golden Gate man charged with impregnating an 11-year-old girl who had been on the lam.

Jimmy Smith was arrested in Oconee County, South Carolina, on Tuesday. He had failed to show up for a court hearing Monday to decide whether he’ll plead to the charge against him or take his case to trial. He is facing up to life in prison on the sex charge.

Collier County sheriff’s deputies had learned that Smith had traveled to South Carolina last weekend and was staying with family there. Deputies contacted the Oconee County Sheriff’s Office and provided them with Smith’s whereabouts. Oconee officials arrested Smith and he is being held pending extradition back to Collier County. The bench warrant issued for him will allow authorities to hold him without bond.

Jimmy Smith was released on $100,000 bond after his Aug. 5, 2004, arrest. On Monday, prosecutor Steve Maresca asked Judge Cynthia Ellis to issue an arrest warrant with no bond for Smith, whose address won’t be published because it may identify the girl. The Naples Daily News withholds the names of alleged sex crime victims.

Smith faces a mandatory life sentence if he’s convicted. He has a date-certain trial set for today. His appearance at the hearing Monday was mandatory so he and Day could inform the court of whether Smith wants to go to trial or accept a plea offer of 30 years in prison.

According to court records, DNA tests determined Smith is the father of the girl’s baby. Sheriff’s deputies began investigating the case after the girl’s aunt went to a substation and reported that her 12-year-old niece had just given birth.

Smith and the girl had sex repeatedly between Nov. 1, 2002, and May 30, 2003, while she was living with Smith, according to court records. Investigators questioned Smith, who said the two had an ongoing consensual sexual relationship.