was an LDS church member in Indiana; in 2019, confessed to sexually abusing a child; pleaded guilty and was sentenced in 2021 to 728 days of probation for battery against a child under 14 years old

Case report

Jason Buford Smith in Monroe county, Indiana confessed to molesting a child.

His court case number is 53C02-1910-F4-001157.

Jason Smith was charged with three charges, and took a plea deal which included dismissing two of the charges of molestation and is on probation of battery against a child under 14 years old.

According to FLOODLIT’s sources, when the bishop of Smith’s ward (Clear Creek ward in the Bloomington Indiana stake) found out about Smith’s alleged abuse, he allegedly instructed Smith to attend another ward in the stake to comply with not being near his victim. The bishop also allegedly asked members in the stake to house Smith for free while he awaited trial.

FLOODLIT’s sources indicate that on May 18, 2021, in a plea deal, Smith pleaded guilty to the level 6 felony battery on a minor. The level two level 4 felony charges of sexually abusing a minor were dismissed. He was sentenced to 728 days of probation, ending on May 17, 2023. After completing probation without violations, the felony judgment will be reduced to a class A misdemeanor.

“A Bloomington man faces preliminary charges of sexual battery after inappropriately touching a child earlier this year.

Jason B. Smith, 49, of 3115 S. Rogers St. was arrested at 1:06 a.m. Saturday on a preliminary charge of sexual battery. Court records indicate the Monroe County Department of Child Services contacted Bloomington police after an informant told them Smith had inappropriately touched a child younger than 14.

Smith told officers he was a sex addict, according to a Bloomington police report, and that he’d inappropriately touched the child’s genitals “while in a dream-like state” in January or February of this year. Smith was released Sunday on a $5,500 bond.”

Case facts

Case information sources

  1. Police say Bloomington man admitted to inappropriately touching a child
    view source details | 2 Oct 2019 | Herald-Times
  2. case number 53C02-1910-F4-001157
    view source details | 1 Dec 2022 | Indiana Court Records

Case information source details

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