Full Notification

Alleged non-complaint registered sex offender Samuel Brett Smith who absconded from Indiana and was a fugitive for nearly 8 weeks before being captured in Brown County, Texas has been taken into federal custody by the US Marshals Service. On 02/22/2017, a federal arrest warrant was issued by the United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas charging 26 year old Samuel Brett Smith formerly of Angola with and alleged violation of the Adam Walsh Act under Title 18 United States Code, Section 2250(a). The Adam Walsh Act is the federal Sex Offender and Notification law. The federal arrest warrant comes after a nearly 3 month joint investigation with the Steuben County Sheriff’s Office and the United States Marshals Service that spanned from Indiana to Texas. The investigation started back in December of 2016 when the Sheriff’s Office in Steuben County received information indicating that Smith allegedly moved from his last registered address and failed to notify the Sheriff’s Office. After obtaining further information indicating that Smith had fled the state of Indiana, Detective First Sergeant Mike Meeks reached out to the US Marshals Service Northern District of Indiana. With the assistance of Senior Inspector William Boothe, a joint investigation was launched to locate and apprehend Smith. The fugitive investigation led the US Marshals Service to the state of Texas where the Northern District of Texas along with the Brown County (TX) Sheriff’s Office and the Brownwood (TX) Police Department were able to locate Smith and take him into custody on the outstanding Steuben County felony arrest warrant. After further federal investigation by Deputy US Marshals in the Northern District of Texas, enough information was gathered to obtain the federal arrest warrant. Smith remains in the custody of the US Marshal pending an initial appearance before the United States magistrate judge in Abilene, Texas.

**Any criminal charge is merely an accusation. The Defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.**