Hillsborough deputies say the man had been adjudicated in 2009 as a registered sex offender for a previous incident.

TAMPA – Hillsborough sheriff’s deputies have accused a Tampa man of having sex with a 15-year-old girl.

Arrested and charged with one count of lewd and lascivious battery of a child was Jafar Rashad Smith, 28, of 12418 N 15th St. Deputies said Smith was on supervised probation for a previous  unrelated case of aggravated battery on a pregnant female. They said that, on March 4, 2009, Smith was adjudicated as a Florida registered sexual offender for lewd, lascivious battery with a victim 12-15 years old. Smith is in the Orient Road Jail where he is being held without bail.

Hillsborough deputies said Smith had sexual intercourse with a 15-year-old girl on Oct. 22. The teen knew him as Jafar Smith and was able to identify him from an Instagram photo. Her mother pulled up his picture from the sheriff’s website, which had his identity and true age. Deputies said the victim later discovered she was pregnant and that Smith was the only person with whom she had had sex. Smith admitted to having sexual intercourse with the victim during a controlled phone call on Thursday (March 10).

For information about the Hillsborough County Sheriff, go to hcso.tampa.fl.us. For information about the Florida Sexual Offenders and Predators listing, go to offender.fdle.state.fl.us.

Hillsborough Sheriff | Tampa | Sex Offender | Jafar Rashad Smith | TB Reporter

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