Tuesday, April 20, 1999
He's 35, she's 16: Man admits guilt
Lawyer: Smith wants to get on with his life
BY STEVE KEMME
The Cincinnati Enquirer
HAMILTON — A 35-year-old Trenton man pleaded guilty Monday to seven criminal charges stemming from his relationship with his 16-year-old girlfriend.
Three weeks before his trial was to begin, James H. “Jay” Smith pleaded guilty in Butler County Common Pleas Court to one charge of attempted corruption of a minor and six charges of contributing to the unruliness of a minor.
The corruption charge and three unruliness charges pertain to his 16-year-old girlfriend, Bessie Lou McCoy of Millville, and three unruliness charges pertained to Bessie Lou's 14-year-old sister.
The 14-year-old accompanied Mr. Smith and Bessie Lou on some of their “dates,” but was not present for any sexual encounters, said Assistant Prosecutor Kacy Eaves. He once provided an alcoholic beverage to Bessie Lou's sister, she said.
Mr. Smith sometimes even took along his children, a 14-year-old boy and an 11-year- old girl, she said.
“His own kids were going to have to testify in the trial,” Ms. Eaves said. “A lot of young people were hurt by this.”
Mr. Smith allegedly hid from authorities by moving from Butler County to Texas in September of last year with Bessie Lou. They were living in a trailer when police arrested him earlier this year.
Mr. Smith will be sentenced by Judge Michael Sage on May 12 after a hearing to determine whether Mr. Smith is a sexual predator.
The judge ordered a presentence forensic evaluation.
Mr. Smith had earlier pleaded guilty to one count of failure to make child-support payments.
On all charges, he could face up to 51/2 years in prison.
By pleading guilty to the seven charges involving his relationship with Bessie Lou, he reduced his maximum possible prison sentence by six months.
Authorities may file additional charges against Mr. Smith connected with his alleged flight to Texas with Bessie Lou, Ms. Eaves said.
Bessie Lou was 15 when she met Mr. Smith, she said.
Bessie Lou's parents strongly opposed their daughter's relationship with Mr. Smith, she said.
“Her mother repeatedly told him to stay away from her daughter,” Ms. Eaves said.
Bessie Lou and her sister sometimes would meet Mr. Smith after telling their parents they were going to work a summer job or were going to a friend's house, she said.
Mr. Smith pleaded guilty because of his concern that his odds for acquittal were slim and because of his desire to resolve the case quickly, said his attorney, Lyn Cunningham.
“He wants to get on with his life,” he said.
Mr. Smith worked in the siding business in recent years, and, before that, was a corporate pilot.
Mr. Smith is sorry for what he's done, but believes there were positive aspects to his relationship to Bessie Lou, Mr. Cunningham said.
“He's very remorseful about the way it's affected his life and the young woman's life,” he said. “He's very sad it came to that point.”
Bessie Lou has said she and Mr. Smith are engaged and plan to marry when she turns 18.
But Mr. Cunningham said he knows nothing about an engagement.
“Jay's told me he's not going to have any contact with her until she's an adult, if then,” he said.
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