Polk convicted sex offender accused of trying to lure 12-year-old from bus stop: 'A nasty guy'
Courtesy: Polk County Sheriff's Office
POLK COUNTY, Fla. - A 77-year-old man with a history of child sex offenses was arrested after Polk County deputies said he tried to lure a 12-year-old girl away from a school bus stop.
Polk school bus stop luring arrest
What we know:
According to Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd, Nelson Smart approached the girl while driving a white van and asked if he could take her to school.
The girl said no and told her bus driver about the incident, who notified the school. School officials then reported the incident to the Polk County Sheriff's Office, which investigated and located Smart, PCSO said.
Luring investigation
Dig deeper:
Judd said Smart is a convicted sex offender with a history of crimes involving children.
In 1983, Smart was sentenced to 15 years in prison after being convicted of having sex with a child, according to Judd. After his release, Smart was arrested again in 1995 for another offense involving a child.
Judd said Smart is now accused of attempting to lure another child.
Sheriff Grady Judd morning briefing
What they're saying:
"This guy here is a nasty guy. He's nastier than dog poop," Judd said.
Smart was arrested on a charge of luring or enticing a child under 14 years old. He is also being held on a detention hold for GPS monitoring, according to the sheriff's office.
Smart is being held in the Polk County Jail on $25,000 bond. His arraignment is scheduled for Oct. 6.
Judd said investigators and prosecutors will work to keep Smart from being released from prison again.
"Leopards don’t change their spots and tigers don’t change their stripes," Judd said. "He [Smart] needs to go to prison for the rest of his life. He’s a dangerous man. We are going to work hard with the state attorney’s office to try and make sure he’s never out of prison again."
Bus stop location details
What we don't know:
The sheriff's office has not released the specific street address or municipality where the school bus stop is located.
The Source: The information in this story was provided by the Polk County Sheriff's Office.