A 74-year-old registered sex offender is behind bars in St. Francois County after Desloge police say he was spotted near a local park, in violation of the state law that keeps certain offenders away from places where children gather. Billy E. Smith was taken into custody Friday evening and now sits on a $200,000 bond.
Tip Surfaces on Social Media, Surveillance Follows
According to KMOV, Desloge police first learned about the situation through a social media post and moved quickly to investigate. Officers conducted surveillance at Smith's address before determining that probable cause existed to make an arrest.
Smith was taken into custody at 7:57 p.m. Friday for being present or loitering within 500 feet of a park with a playground or pool, the station's report states. He was transported to the St. Francois County Jail following the arrest.
Warrant Served, Bond Set at $200,000
The following day, the prosecuting attorney obtained an arrest warrant for Smith, which was served while he remained at the jail, per the same account. He is currently held on a $200,000 bond.
The reported allegation involved being present or loitering within 500 feet of a park with a playground or pool.
Registry Lists 2003 Offense Against a 12-Year-Old
The Missouri State Highway Patrol sex offender registry lists Smith as a tier level 3 sex offender, according to the station's report. That registry reportedly shows his underlying offense took place in 2003, when the victim was 12 years old.
The case adds to a broader picture of registered offenders living in the small St. Francois County city. As of Sunday, city-data.com reported 30 registered sex offenders living in Desloge, a ratio of roughly 166 residents for every one registered offender. That figure has not been independently verified against an official state registry.
