24-year-old charged in teen's rape
By Gary Popp
Published in News on October 27, 2011 1:46 PM
John Harley Smith
A 24-year-old Goldsboro man is in the Wayne County Jail today on a statutory rape charge.
John Harley Smith, 24, of Bryan Boulevard, has been arrested in connection with a sexual assault on a 15-year-old girl.
Smith faces a charge of statutory rape of a person who is 13, 14, or 15 years of age and where the defendant is six years older than the victim.
The mother of the girl filed a report claiming that her daughter was sexually assaulted by Smith, whom the Wayne County Sheriff's Office reported as an acquaintance of the girl.
According to a Sheriff's Office report, Smith forcefully entered a bathroom occupied by the girl on Oct. 16 around 11 p.m. Once inside, Harley allegedly held the girl down by her throat and raped her. The incident allegedly occurred at a boarding home where both Smith and the victim resided.
Smith has an extensive arrest record that includes felony larceny, vehicle break-ins, felony breaking and entering, possession of stolen goods, larceny of a firearm, communicating threats and harassing phone call.
Smith was placed under a $500,000 secured bond.