Registered sex offender arrested on 13 counts involving children

A registered sex offender arrested Saturday faces charges of lewdness with a child and child abuse, according to Las Vegas police.

William Smith, 41, was arrested about 1:30 a.m. by officers who were called to his residence in the 2200 block of Linn Lane, near Lake Mead Boulevard and Sloan Lane, to investigate a report of a missing child.

Officers did not locate the missing child but did find Smith, a registered Tier II sex offender, in the company of another, unrelated child, police said.

Tier II sex offenders include those who have either committed a sex crime against a minor or have committed a sex crime after being a Tier I, or low risk, offender.

Smith’s prior convictions include attempted sexual assault and numerous counts of indecent liberties with a minor, account to Las Vegas police records.

“This guy was registered like he was supposed to be,” said Las Vegas police spokesperson Laura Meltzer.

Smith faces 13 counts, including three counts of lewdness with a child under 14, two counts of child abuse with substantial bodily or mental harm, and five counts of luring a child with a mental illness, police said.

Smith moved to Las Vegas in January 2011. Police believe that Smith befriended several families in order to gain access to children. Smith also has gone by the names Heath Robert Grabe and Robert Grabe, police records said.

The child that police were looking for originally was located at a different location, and police believe that child also may be one of Smith’s victims.

“They do believe that there are additional victims,” Meltzer said.

Detectives are asking anyone with concerns about their child’s contact with William Smith, or anyone who has any information, to call the Metropolitan Police Department’s Sexual Assault Section at 828-3421 or Crime Stoppers at 385-5555.

Contact reporter Colton Lochhead at clochhead@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0264.