Alto father, son arrested on multiple allegations of sexual assault of a child in California

Published 2:03 pm Thursday, October 14, 2021

An Alto father-son pair were arrested Wednesday on multiple accusations of sexual assault of a child in California.

Cherokee County deputies on Wednesday searched the Alto-area home of Theodore Smith, who they said is believed to be connected to numerous child sex assaults “over the last 60 years.” The Sacramento (California) Sheriff’s Office and Homeland Security Investigations assisted in the search.

Theodore Smith and his son James Smith had multiple arrest warrants for child sexual assault charges. Theodore Smith was found in his Alto residence and taken into custody. James Smith was found and arrested Wednesday while on a trip to California, the sheriff’s office said.

Theodore Smith was charged with 34 counts of a lewd act with a child under 14 with force and two counts of lewd or lascivious acts on a child under 14. His bond was set at $7 million, and he will be taken to California to await trial, according to the sheriff’s office.

Police said the case stems from evidence the two men left in a California home a year ago when they moved to Texas.

“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 Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office said on Facebook.

The post also thanked Henderson County Sheriff Botie Hillhouse for allowing Cherokee County deputies to use Hillhouse’s armored vehicle and personnel.