A Marion County Jury deliberated an hour and a half before returning a guilty plea to a 27-year-old Centralia man charged with three child offense charges.
Thomas Smith was found guilty of two Class X charges of predatory criminal sexual assault of a six-year-old child and a Class 2 felony of aggravated criminal sexual abuse to a victim under 18. Judge Mark Stedelin set sentencing for February 18th and revoked Smith’s bond.
State’s Attorney Tim Hudspeth was pleased with the verdict that was handed down during his first criminal trial as State’s Attorney. He says Smith is eligible for 6 to 60 years in prison on each of the Class X charges and up to seven years on the Class 2 felony. Hudspeth says under the law, all three sentences will be served consecutively.
Hudspeth feels the key testimony in the trial came from the six-year-old victim who testified remotely to the jury from the Judge’s office as well as an earlier recorded statement the victim made to an Amy Center Advocate. He says the testimony of the father and the Amy Center expert was also key.
Smith did not testify and the defense presented no evidence of their own, but aggressively cross-examined the prosecution’s witnesses.
Testimony indicated Smith and the girl’s father had grown up together and became friends again when they began working with each other. That resulted in Smith being a frequent guest in the victim’s home during a three-month period in early 2021 when the sexual assault and abuse occurred.
Smith had already been to prison twice on child sex-related charges and had two convictions for violation of the sex offender registration list. One of those convictions in Clinton County occurred last November when he was placed on 30 months probation.
Hudspeth is thanking those in his office, his victim advocate Chelsee Simmons, the Centralia Police Department, the Amy Center, and former Assistant State’s Attorney Melissa Doran who started the case.
