6 years, 4 months ago by Scott Hardy
Accused in September sodomy incident
A Hannibal man has pleaded Not Guilty to a child sodomy charge.
Eugene Smith entered that plea Monday at his arraignment in Marion County Circuit Court on one count of statutory sodomy involving a boy under 14. The charge is from a September 17th incident involving the boy, who's the grandson of a woman Smith was living with. A probable cause statement says that the boy made the accusation to his mother, after she came to pick him up after staying with his grandmother. Last week, Smith's attorney asked for a change of venue, and a new judge to hear the case. Marion County Prosecuting Attorney David Clayton says that because Smith has a prior rape conviction in Shelby County, he's charged him as a persistent sexual offender. That means if Smith's convicted, he’d get a life sentence.
Smith’s in the Marion County Jail on $100,000 bond, and will be back in court December 18th.
