3rd Most Wanted sex offender arrested this month

Lansing -The Michigan State Police (MSP) today announced that James Donald Smith, 43, was arrested on May 29, 2013, in Pontiac, Mich., on an outstanding felony warrant for failure to comply with the Michigan Sex Offenders Registration Act. Earlier this month, Smith was featured as an absconder on the state’s Most Wanted Sex Offenders website at www.michigan.gov/absconders.

Smith was convicted of one count of Aggravated Criminal Sexual Assault in 1995 in the state of Illinois. He was selected as one of the Michigan’s most wanted sex offenders after he failed to change his address.

The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) Sex Offender Tracking Team (SOTT) provided a possible address for Smith in Pontiac. After further investigation, a search of the residence led officers to the backyard where Smith was located hiding in a parked van.

The arrest was made during a sex offender sweep in Pontiac, which is part of the Secure Cities Partnership to provide enhanced law enforcement services to the cities of Detroit, Pontiac, Saginaw and Flint to reduce crime and enhance the quality of life in these cities. Agencies that participated in the sweep included the United States Marshals Service, Oakland County Sheriff’s Office, Detroit Police Department, the Michigan Department of Corrections and troopers from the MSP Sex Offender Registry Unit.

Michigan’s Sex Offenders Registration Act requires Tier III offenders to verify their address at a local law enforcement agency quarterly during the first 15 days of January, April, July and October. Offenders are also required to report a change of address when they move or vacate a residence. Failure to do so can result in a felony conviction with a punishment ranging from four to 10 years.

The MSP website began featuring the names and photographs of 10 of the state’s most wanted sex offenders in August 2006. As wanted individuals are located, new offenders are featured. The public can provide information about any offender by contacting the MSP toll free at 1-866-761-7678, or by contacting the nearest law enforcement agency.