A registered sexual predator in Hernando County was arrested on March 18 for failing to register a motor vehicle and trailer, authorities said.
Irving Robert Smith, 71, was charged with one count of failure to register a motor vehicle and one count of failure to register a trailer, according to the Hernando County Sheriff’s Office.
Smith was convicted in 2021 in Hernando County of lewd or lascivious molestation of a victim under 12 years old. As a result, he was designated a sexual predator in Florida and required to comply with registration requirements.
On March 3, Smith went to the Hernando County Sheriff’s Office to report a new vehicle and trailer to his Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) sex offender profile. He claimed he had recently registered both.
However, an investigation by Detective Marcacci revealed that the vehicle had been titled to Smith since August 2016, and the trailer had been titled to him since December 2009. Further review found that Smith had not reported either when completing his initial FDLE registration after his release from prison in February.
Detective Marcacci arrested Smith on March 18. Because Smith failed to report the vehicles within 48 hours and provided false registration information, he was booked into the Hernando County Detention Center, where he is being held without bond.
Authorities encourage anyone with information on this case to contact Hernando County Crime Stoppers at 1-866-990-TIPS (8477) or submit a tip online at www.hernandocountycrimestoppers.com. Callers can remain anonymous and may be eligible for a reward of up to $5,000.
