Convicted sex offender on the run from authorities

ROBERTSDALE, Ala. (WALA) - The Baldwin County Sheriff's Office is looking for a convicted sex offender and found themselves at the suspect’s home on Friday executing a search warrant.

They say John David Smith was supposed to be sentenced on possession of obscene matter, but he cut off his ankle monitor and disappeared prior to the hearing.

On March 22, the Baldwin County District Attorney’s Office searched Smith’s Robertsdale home. The suspect is now a fugitive from justice.

“[We're looking for] anything that can lead us in his direction," said Trent Wilhelm of the district attorney's office.  "And just any bit of information that would help us determine where he may have been traveling and going.”

Smith disappeared on Wednesday after deputies say he cut off the tracking device used to monitor him.  Had he gone to court, he would have been sentenced on child pornography charges.

The last signal the BCSO received from his ankle monitor had Smith right at his home but, when deputies arrived on-scene, they found only the ankle monitor outside the residence and Smith was nowhere to be found.

The state’s sex offender registry showed Smith had a previous conviction for having sexual contact with 14-year-old girl.

He’s described as 6-feet tall and weighs 150 pounds.  Sheriff’s deputies said Smith might be traveling in a 2003 red Nissan Sentra.

Contrary to what his neighbors said, you won’t necessarily see him in a motorized wheelchair.

“I think the general public does believe he’s confined to a wheelchair, and we’ve determined that’s not true.  He’s walking on his feet just like you and I," Wilhelm said.  “He may be disabled to some degree, but he’s walking, he’s obviously coherent enough to drive a car, clean his windshield, and talk like we are.”

It’s a case the DA’s office is passionate about, and they are out in full force to see justice served, Wilhelm praised the district attorney’s efforts.

Wilhelm said. "This hasn’t died since John David Smith fled Wednesday.  We’ve been dedicated to solving it, she has been dedicated to solving it, and we’ve put forth 100 percent of our efforts to do that.”

We had a question of our own for District Attorney Hallie Dixon: why a previously convicted sex offender would be allowed to post bond before learning his sentence on new charges.

FOX10’s calls were not returned on Friday.

If you spot him, contact the Baldwin County Sheriff's Office at 251-937-0202.  Deputies urge for you not to approach Smith, a convicted felon.