New sex charges filed on Smith

A Brewton man who has been behind bars for about two years accused of sexually molesting four young boys was out on bond for two days before being arrested after a fifth victim came forward claiming he was abused while he was 12 to 14 years old.

William Douglas Smith, 57, was ordered last week to be held without bond on the new charges.

Following a bond reduction hearing, Smith was released on $125,000 bond on Jan. 22, but was rearrested on Jan. 24 on sexual abuse I charges on a warrant signed by the Escambia County Sheriff's Office. During a bond hearing Friday before Circuit Judge Bert Rice on that charge, Smith was served with a second warrant signed by the Brewton Police Department also charging him with sexual abuse I on the same 12 to 14 year old victim. The warrants state the abuse occurred between November, 2014 and November, 2016, alleging sexual contact by forcible compulsion.

At the time of his original arrest, Smith lived at 1904 Sowell Road in Brewton, but told Judge Rice Friday he was now divorced and gave an address of 1407 Daily St., East Brewton.

As a condition of Smith being released on bond he was required to wear an ankle monitor. Testimony at the bond hearing suggested Smith tried to disable the monitor soon after being released.

Assistant District Attorney Todd Stearns told Judge Rice the state recommended no bond for Smith, claiming he was a flight risk and also noted the district attorney's office had just signed the new arrest warrant from the Brewton Police Department.

Inv. Cameron Fillingim with the Escambia County Sheriff's Office testified on the charges that one of the allegations happened in the county's jurisdiction and the other within the city limits of Brewton.

He also said investigations are ongoing about possible abuse by Smith in other jurisdictions that include Covington County in Alabama and Santa Rosa County in Florida.

Smith's attorney, Jim Byrd of Mobile, waived his right to attend the bond hearing and Judge Rice gave Smith the opportunity to ask questions. Judge Rice, however, warned Smith that anything he said could be used against him.

Smith asked why they waited until two days after he bonded out to file the additional charges. Stearns explained they were new charges.

Tiffany Caylor, director of Escambia County's Community Corrections, testified that she fitted Smith with the ankle monitor before he left the county's detention center.

She testified when Smith was arrested on the new charges she found some deep scratches on the monitor and a bobby pin taped to the back.

She said she viewed the tape and the pin as an attempt to tamper with or alter the monitor.

Smith attempted to explain he used the tape and bobby pin to secure a plastic bag but Judge Rice cut off his explanation saying he was only allowed to ask questions and he wasn't going to allow him to incriminate himself.

Stearns asked the judge to find that Smith was a flight risk and should not be a candidate for bond.

"I've been very cooperative and I'm not a flight risk," Smith said.

"The court is of the opinion it appears you were tampering with the GPS monitor," Rice said.

Rice said that indicated to him that Smith did pose a substantial risk to run and was a flight risk.

Rice then sentenced Smith to be held without bond on the new charges pending any further action from the court.

Smith was first arrested on Feb. 14, 2017 and charged with two counts of sexual abuse of a child less than 12 years old. Following that arrest a third victim came forward and Smith was charged with sodomy II on a person more than 12 but less than 16.

It was noted that the victims conducted forensic interviews with the Child Advocacy Center as part of the investigations that led to Smith's arrest.

A fourth victim then came forward and Smith was charged with sodomy I and sexual abuse I with the warrant claiming Smith "engaged in deviate sexual intercourse with a minor by forcible compulsion and subjected the minor victim to sexual contact by forcible compulsion."