A joint effort by the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office, the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office, and the Department of Homeland Security resulted in the arrests of an Alto man and his son in connection with numerous sexual assaults of a child that occurred in California.
Some of the alleged sexual assaults date back 60 years.
The arrests were made Wednesday, according to a post on the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office Facebook page.
According to the Facebook post, authorities conducted a search warrant on a home just north of Alto on U.S. Highway 69.
“A search warrant was issued for the person of Theodore Smith and any evidence used in numerous sexual assaults of a child spanning over the last 60 years,” the Facebook post stated.
As a result of the search, multiple arrest warrants for sexual assault of a child were issued for Theodore Smith and James Smith, his son.
Theodore Smith was arrested at his home in Alto. James, who is also a resident of Alto, was found and arrested while he was on a trip to California.
This case stemmed from evidence these individuals left behind in a California residence when they moved from California to Texas a year ago,” the Facebook post stated.
Theodore Smith has been charged with 34 counts of lewd act of a child under 14 with force and two counts of lewd or lascivious acts on a child under 14. His collective bond amount has been set at $7 million.
Theodore Smith will be transferred back to California, where he will stand trial.
The Facebook post did not say what James Smith’s charges are.
“Thank you to the many men and women who worked tirelessly to assure that these two dangerous criminals are behind bars where they belong,” the Facebook post stated. “And thank you to Sheriff Botie Hillhouse of Henderson County for allowing us the use of his armored vehicle and personnel.”
