An Indianapolis man faces charges for sexually abusing an underage teen girl in Gary in 2009, records allege.
She came forward after she filed for child support for their daughter and he requested a paternity test. The woman told police she was “ready to face” what happened, documents state.
Terrance R. Smith, now 45, formerly of Gary, was charged in February with seven counts of sexual misconduct with a minor. He has pleaded not guilty.
His bail was reset at $5,000 cash surety on Wednesday.
His case was unsealed April 17.
The woman told police that Smith, then 29, her childhood friend’s father, took his family and her out to Old Country Buffet. Afterward, he gave alcohol and marijuana to his daughter, the victim and another teen.
At some point, he sent the others inside his house and told the victim to stay in the van. He took her to an abandoned home and had sex with her when she passed out, records allege.
“You’re not going to tell nobody, are you,” he said.
Another time, Smith drove her in a van and asked for a sex act. He gave her marijuana afterward.
She described other incidents where he performed a sex act or had sex with her at his home or van.
Another time, he took her to an abandoned home, where a mattress was already there. Later on, they hung out “just being kids,” documents state.
The girl discovered she was pregnant. Smith told her to have an abortion. It never happened and they never spoke about it. The baby was born in 2010.
Paternity tests in 2024 showed Smith was the father.
Court documents show Smith was arrested in 2005 for attempted murder. Prosecutors dismissed the case in September 2006, records show.
mcolias@post-trib.com