Gregory Smith pleads guilty to eight counts; must register as a lifetime sexual predator upon release
A Palm Coast man was sentenced to 30 years in prison on December 16, 2025, after pleading guilty to eight felony counts involving the sexual abuse of a child over several years.
Gregory Smith, 45, appeared before Circuit Judge Dawn Nichols and pleaded guilty to charges including sexual battery and molestation of victims under 12 years old and between 12 and 18 years old. Smith will not be eligible for early release and must serve the full 30-year sentence, less 173 days already served at the Sheriff Perry Hall Inmate Detention Facility. Following his prison term, Smith will face life probation and be required to register as a lifetime sexual predator. He will be 75 years old upon release.
The court sentenced Smith to 15 years on two counts of lewd and lascivious molestation of a victim between 12 and 16 years old, 30 years on five counts of sexual battery on a minor between 12 and 18 by a family member, and additional time for lewd and lascivious molestation of a victim under the age of 12.
“Smith realized that the men and women of the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office built an ironclad case and would give no mercy to a predator who took the innocence away and raped a child for years,” said Flagler County Sheriff Rick Staly. “He faced life behind bars had he been convicted by a jury so this pervert took the only option he had. Smith isn’t just a pervert; he is a monster who knew the evil of his actions before he committed them.”
Smith will be transferred from the county jail to the Florida Department of Corrections to serve his sentence.
Original Arrest
The case began on June 19, 2025, when the victim’s mother contacted law enforcement to report the abuse. According to the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office, the mother stated that after confronting Smith, he admitted to all allegations and described in detail how he had performed oral sex on the victim multiple times.
The victim told detectives that Smith engaged in repeated acts of sexual abuse including oral sex, anal sex, and genital touching. The victim stated these incidents occurred several times a week over a period of two to three years.
Detectives corroborated statements from both the victim and the mother through their investigation and obtained a warrant for Smith’s arrest. During an interview with detectives, Smith admitted to engaging in oral sex with the victim between 2013 and 2019.
The FCSO Fugitive Unit arrested Smith at his workplace in Bunnell on June 27, 2025.
“This is heartbreaking. This pervert took this child’s innocence away. No child should ever be a victim of sexual abuse—especially at the hands of someone in a position of authority and trust,” Sheriff Staly said at the time of the arrest. “It took a lot of bravery for this young victim to come forward. Our focus now is to provide support for the victim and the victim’s family so they may find justice and healing as they work through this traumatic experience.”
Sheriff Staly noted that the investigation was a collaborative effort between multiple units within the sheriff’s office, including the Community Policing Division, Real-Time Crime Center, Victim Advocates, Major Case Unit, P.A.C.E. Unit, and Fugitive Unit.
Smith had a prior criminal history including burglary, drug possession, and fraud charges.
