85-year-old indicted in rape of little girl in Beaver Twp.

STAFF REPORT

YOUNGSTOWN — An 85-year-old Beaver Township man could receive a life prison sentence if he’s convicted of any of four counts of raping a girl while she was 4 and 5 years old.

The Mahoning County grand jury indicted Charles Vern Smith, of Columbiana-Canfield Road, on Thursday.

The offenses are alleged to have occurred at the child’s residence elsewhere in Beaver Township, said Carl Frost, township police chief. The indictment says these occurred between Aug. 6, 2006, and June 11, 2008.

Frost said Smith is in Clarion County, Pa., where he will likely be arrested. Smith, who has no known prior criminal record, will then be extradited to Ohio unless he comes here voluntarily, the chief said.

The victim’s mother called Beaver Township police to report that the girl made the allegations to her, and that the girl identified Smith to her as the assailant, Frost said.

A Clarion County child welfare worker investigated the case, along with the Mahoning County Children Services Board and Detective Brian Hartman, a juvenile officer with the Beaver Township police, Frost said.

The case bypassed the lower courts and went directly to the grand jury to expedite Smith’s extradition here, if extradition is necessary, the chief added.

The case will be prosecuted by Natasha K. Frenchko, assistant Mahoning County prosecutor.