Rudolph Jericho Smith Enters Alford Plea
FREDERICK – Today in Frederick County Circuit Court, Rudolph Jericho Smith, age 37, of Frederick, MD entered an Alford plea to 3 Counts of Second Degree Assault and 3 Counts of Knowingly Attempting to Transfer HIV. Sentencing was postponed at the request of both the State and Defense. An Alford plea is a type of guilty plea, where the Defendant does not formally admit guilt, but acknowledges that the State has sufficient evidence to convict them. Sentencing for Smith is scheduled for November 4th, 2019 at 9am before the Honorable Judge Julia Martz-Fisher. Smith will remain held without bond at the Frederick County Adult Detention Center until sentencing.
The Frederick Police Department began an investigation into Rudolph Smith during the summer of 2017, when separate women disclosed their belief that Rudolph Smith had infected them with HIV. Considerable time in the investigation was spent trying to determine whether or not Mr. Smith was HIV positive, and whether he was aware of that fact. It was eventually established that Rudolph Smith was aware that he was HIV-positive but continued to have unprotected sex with women without informing them of his status.
In response to the plea agreement, State’s Attorney Charlie Smith commented, “The facts of this case are still very disturbing to me. For someone to intentionally transmit a disease such as this is horrible. These victims will have to live with this for the rest of their lives.”
