Felon to Serve Nine Years in Prison for Illegal Firearm Possession and Attempted Sexual Battery

In April 2025, Gainesville Police Department officers arrested Alex Lewis Smith, 49, for child sexual abuse and possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. 

The young adult victim reported that Smith had sexually abused her for years, since she was 12 years old. The most recent sexual battery occurred on April 8, 2025, leading to her telling police. 

According to the police report, “The victim has kept a log for the past 2 years (2024-2025) of 59+ dates where [Smith] raped [her]... The victim stated that she has told [Smith] numerous times over the years to stop and has tried to fight him off, but he continues.”

After the victim’s disclosure, her mom concealed Smith’s firearm in the living room couch in fear he would perpetuate violence against her or the victim. Smith had previously threatened to kill the victim’s mom, who gave police consent to retrieve the firearm. 

The firearm that Smith possessed was listed as stolen out of Pasco County. 

Last month, Smith entered a no contest plea to attempted sexual battery, a lesser included offense of his initial charges, along with the gun charge. Judge Robert Groeb accepted a plea agreement between the state and Smith’s defense in which he was sentenced to ten years in prison followed by five years of sex offender probation.

With credit for time he's served in jail, Smith, who has been designated as a sex offender, is set to spend roughly nine years in prison.

As of now, Smith is still in the Alachua County Jail awaiting transportation to a Florida Department of Corrections facility.