A Tennessee man was arrested and charged with child molestation he allegedly committed in 2003.
Roger Clark Smith, 47, was charged with molestation, sexual exploitation of a child and enticing a child for indecent purposes. According to officials from the Newton County Sheriff’s Office, the charges stem from June of 2003 when a 5-year-old boy reportedly told a family member that Smith had been touching him inappropriately.
The child and his family lived in Newton County at the time and contacted the NCSO; however, during a forensic interview with the boy he failed to make a disclosure to the interviewer that Smith had molested him. After exhausting all avenues of investigation, the case stalled.
In May, the NCSO was contacted by the mother of the child. Though still in Georgia, the family no longer resides in Newton County. However, she allegedly told investigators that the son, now a teen, had been having behavioral issues that she believed stemmed from the molestation years before; she requested investigators reopen the case.
During an interview the victim did made a disclosure this time and warrants were taken for Smith.
Although the statute of limitations for molestation in Georgia is only seven years, the law states that for very young children it is seven years after their 16th birthday if they are under the age of 16 when it occurs.
Smith was arrested and transported to the Newton County Detention Center.
