Okmulgee Man Arrested For Lewd Molestation, Kidnapping

The Okmulgee County Sheriff’s Office arrested a registered sex offender after they say he kidnapped and sexually assaulted a teenage girl.

Officers say, Joseph Smith, 47, is accused of kidnapping a teenage girl from a mobile home park and sexually assaulting her.

"The patrol guys come out there and they talk to him,” said investigator Duston Todd. “After they talk to him they make a determination to place him under arrest.”

Investigators say, on July 30, the victim was approached by Smith and as she attempted to walk away he grabbed her and forced her into his trailer. They say that's where he assaulted her.

Smith has a long criminal record.

"He is a registered sex offender with previous rape convictions as well as lewd molestation, and he has some sex offender violation convictions too,” said Todd.

They say when the victim was released, her family called deputies. Smith was arrested a short time later. A woman named Judy Hemmings says she is Smith’s wife told us she believes he is innocent.

"I was told by a close friend of his that he told him on the phone that she asked him,” Hemmings said. “He was taking his walk to lose weight. She asked him for a bottle of water; she followed him to the house. He did not let her come inside; he went and got a bottle of water and gave it to her. "

She says that Smith did not touch the victim and that she believes someone else committed the crime, but Todd says that Smith admitted the victim was in his house,

In the meantime, Todd says these kinds of cases are tough but says it’s worth it when the perpetrator goes to jail.

"The big thing is keep an eye on your children, know who your neighbors are and report anything suspicious that you see,” he said.

Smith is being held at the Okmulgee County jail on a $2 Million bond.