Meridian police: Registered sex offender had sex with 13-year-old he met on Tinder

A 33-year-old Nampa man who was booked into the Ada County Jail on Thursday on a felony charge of lewd conduct is accused of having sex with a 13-year-old girl, the Meridian Police Department told the Statesman.

Jason Kelley Smith, a registered sex offender, was set to be arraigned at 1:30 p.m. at the Ada County Courthouse, online court records show.

The girl’s parents contacted Meridian police on Wednesday after they found text messages on her phone indicating that she and Smith had sex, Meridian Police Deputy Chief Tracy Basterrechea said via email.

“After interviewing the victim, we discovered she had met him on Tinder,” Basterrechea said, referring to the online dating app. Tinder users are supposed to be at least 18 years of age.

The girl told police that they had sex in Smith’s car.

Investigating officers used the girl’s phone to communicate with Smith, who agreed in those messages to meet the girl again, Basterrechea said. Police arrested him at the rendezvous site they had given Smith.

Basterrechea said Smith is on the Idaho Sex Offender Registry. His status is listed as “probation.” He has two convictions for sexual battery of a minor child 16/17, the registry shows — one in Canyon County and one in Ada County.

This story was originally published December 28, 2018 at 12:46 PM.