by John Osborn
A Harvard man has been arraigned and charged with multiple counts of child abuse.
According Sergeant James Babu of the Harvard police, Sam C. Smith, 37, of 116 Littleton County Road was charged Friday with six counts of indecent assault and battery on a child under the age of 14, three counts of child endangerment, and one count of providing alcohol to a minor under the age of 21. The first nine charges are felonies under Massachusetts law.
Smith was arraigned in Clinton District Court Friday afternoon and later released on $2,000 bail. He has been ordered to stay away from the alleged victims and from children under the age of 17. Sergeant Babu told the Press that a warrant to search Smith’s house and a warrant for his arrest were issued earlier this week, but when state and Harvard police went to his house, the accused was absent and turned himself in before an arrest could be made. The investigation, which began April 11, is ongoing, said Babu.