The year-long manhunt for Connor Smith has come to a close.
According to TMZ, the former star of Are You the One? was FINALLY arrested in Florida on Thursday afternoon after reported sightings of him in the state. Smith had been wanted in Illinois since February 2023 after he tried to meet with an underage girl for sex. At the time, law enforcement claimed the MTV personality had interacted with a 15-year-old girl for several weeks online, sending explicit videos and pictures of himself. However, the person receiving the messages had been an undercover officer all along.
Related: Man Dressed In SCREAM Costume Murders Neighbor With Chainsaw
Authorities claimed Smith planned to meet with the underage girl to engage in sexual acts on February 9. When the reality star went to meet up with her, he was greeted by cops instead. However, as the authorities attempted to approach his pickup truck and apprehend him, he sped away and escaped the scene. The following day, a warrant went out for his arrest for felony charges of traveling to meet a minor and grooming and disseminating harmful material. Despite police searching for Smith, it wasn’t until a year later he was captured and taken into custody.
Last year, a judge signed off a million-dollar bond if he were to be captured and arrested. However, NewsNation reported he has been booked into the Pinellas County Jail and is being held without bond.
This is not the first run-in with the law for Smith. In 2021, he was arrested for allegedly raping a 16-year-old girl in Indiana. The charges against him were dropped the following year when the victim stopped cooperating with law enforcement.
We are glad the police finally caught Connor. Hopefully, justice will be served now. Reactions, Perezcious readers? Let us know in the comments.
[Image via Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office, MTV Reality/YouTube]
