St. Helens Man Sentenced on Sexual Abuse Charges

Columbia County Jail Booking Photo of Skylar Smith

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

October 3, 2023

St. Helens, Ore. - On Friday, September 29, 2023, Skylar Smith, 42, of St. Helens, Ore., pleaded guilty to two counts of Sexual Abuse I and two counts of Attempted Sexual Abuse I. Smith was sentenced to 88 months in prison and 59 months of post-prison supervision.

This guilty plea capped a two-year investigation initiated in August 2021 when a citizen reported that Smith had sexually abused a child. St. Helens officers and detectives immediately responded to the scene and began an investigation. Smith was identified as a suspect; however, investigators were initially unable to locate Smith.

On August 30, 2021, St. Helens detectives lured Smith to a location in St. Helens. An officer in the area observed Smith walking to the location and arrested him. Investigators interviewed Smith, and he was subsequently lodged at the Columbia County Jail. The investigation was presented to a Columbia County Grand Jury, and Smith was indicted.

This investigation was a collaboration between the St. Helens Police Department and the Columbia County District Attorney’s Office. If you have any related information regarding Smith, the St. Helens Police Department would like to hear from you. Please contact St. Helens Detectives Gaston or Smith by calling 503-397-1521.

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For further information regarding the City of St. Helens burn periods, please contact Communications Officer Crystal King at cking@sthelensoregon.gov.