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An elected Democrat commissioner in Pennsylvania has been arrested and charged years after he allegedly raped a teenage boy back in 2017.
Marvin Smith, who was elected to the Darby Township Board of Commissioners in 2019, reportedly turned himself in to the Philadelphia Police Department last week and is facing charges of rape, sexual assault, luring and others related to the rape of a 15-year-old boy, WPVI-TV reported.
Democrat Township Commissioner Arrested for Rape of 15-Year-Old Boy
Marvin E. Smith, Darby, PA pic.twitter.com/vkXUSoCAZE
— An Open Secret (@AnOpenSecret) January 2, 2022
Although the victim reported the incident back in 2019, it wasn’t until Tuesday that Smith, 50, turned himself in to Philadelphia police.
“On April 15, 2019, the complainant stated to Philadelphia police that on August 12, 2017, he was sexually assaulted,” detectives said. “Smith was in a vehicle and approached the complainant, stating that he was a family friend, and offered to give him a ride home.”
(WPVI-TV)
When the teen agreed and got in the car, Smith drove them to a park where he then allegedly raped him, according to police. He then dropped the victim off in an undisclosed location.
Marvin E. Smith, 50, is charged with 10 counts including
rape by forcible compulsion
involuntary deviate sexual intercourse by forcible compulsion
statutory sexual assault
indecent assault
luring a child into a motor vehicle
corruption of a minor
reckless endangerment
— An Open Secret (@AnOpenSecret) January 2, 2022
Though a sexual assault complaint against Smith was filed by the victim in April 2019, it wasn’t until November 22, 2021, that an arrest warrant was issued. Over a month later, the commissioner turned himself in to the Philadelphia Police Special Victims Unit.
“The Township takes these matters very seriously and will cooperate to the fullest extent with any investigation related to Commissioner Smith,” Darby Township officials said in a statement.
Smith is still listed as a commissioner on the local government’s website.
Darby Township Solicitor Michael Pierce indicated that the township plans to “respect the judicial process” and will not be taking any immediate action until there is a conviction or Smith pleads guilty, according to The Philadephia Inquirer.
Smith was stripped of his police oversight duties back in 2020 after he shared a controversial meme on his Facebook page that reportedly showed two black men with guns pointed at a white police officer’s head. The meme’s caption read: “Does it have to come to this to make them stop murdering and terrorizing us?”
The Democrat apologized at the time.
“Anyone that knows my character, my career in public service and my relationship with the law enforcement professionals that I work with on a daily basis knows that I not only support good policing of our communities, I welcome it and will continue to be a zealous ally of our friends in blue,” Smith had said.
He is set for a court appearance in the case of the alleged rape later this week. According to court records, he was released from custody after he posted his $100,000 bail last week.
Writers and editors can be contacted at [email protected] with feedback, tips, or corrections.
Originally from New York, Powers graduated from New York University and eventually made her way to sunny South Florida. Powers also contributes to BizPac Review.
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