MOBILE, Ala. — The Mobile Police Department has arrested a 39-year-old man on nine felony counts stemming from the reported sexual abuse of a minor, closing out an investigation that began a year and a half earlier.
Robert Smith was located and taken into custody on Wednesday, Sept. 16, 2026, according to the department. He faces three counts of first-degree rape, three counts of first-degree sodomy, two counts of first-degree sexual abuse and one count of incest.
How the Case Began
The investigation opened in March 2025, when officers responded to the 5600 block of Mardanne Drive. Investigators said that over the course of their work they determined a male subject had sexually abused a known female victim over a period of years.
The phrase “known victim” is used by law enforcement to indicate that the accused and the person reporting the abuse were acquainted before the alleged offenses — as distinct from an assault by a stranger. The department has not released the relationship between the two, and the inclusion of an incest charge is the only detail in the public record that speaks to it.
Police said that because of the sensitive nature of the case, no further information will be released.
What the Charges Mean Under Alabama Law
The counts filed against Smith sit at the most serious end of Alabama’s sexual offense statutes.
First-degree rape is a Class A felony in Alabama, the state’s most serious felony classification. A Class A felony carries a sentence range of 10 years to life. Where the victim is under a specified age, Alabama law sets a substantially higher mandatory minimum.
First-degree sodomy is likewise a Class A felony, defined by statute as deviate sexual intercourse accomplished by forcible compulsion, or with a person incapable of consent, or involving a victim under a specified age.
First-degree sexual abuse is a Class C felony, generally punishable by one to 10 years.
Incest is a Class C felony under Alabama Code § 13A-13-3, which applies to sexual intercourse or marriage between persons within specified degrees of relation.
Filing multiple counts of the same offense, as prosecutors have here with three rape counts and three sodomy counts, typically reflects separate alleged incidents rather than a single event charged repeatedly.
The Length of the Investigation
Eighteen months elapsed between the initial response on Mardanne Drive and the arrest. That interval is not unusual in cases of this type, and it generally reflects the evidentiary demands of prosecuting historical abuse.
Cases involving abuse that occurred over a period of years rather than in a single episode often require forensic interviews conducted by trained specialists, medical examination, corroborating witness statements, digital forensics and review by prosecutors before warrants are sought. In Mobile County, forensic interviews of children in abuse investigations are commonly conducted through a child advocacy center rather than at a police station, an approach designed to limit the number of times a child is asked to recount events and to produce testimony that holds up in court.
Investigators said Smith was located through investigative efforts, language that indicates his whereabouts were not immediately known when warrants were obtained.
What Happens Next
A defendant arrested on Class A felony charges in Alabama is booked into Mobile County Metro Jail and appears before a judge for an initial bond determination. Cases of this nature proceed either to a preliminary hearing or directly to a grand jury, which decides whether to return an indictment. An indictment is a formal accusation, not a finding of guilt.
Smith has not been convicted of any offense, and he is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
Reporting Suspected Abuse in Mobile County
Alabama law requires certain professionals — including teachers, doctors, nurses, social workers, law enforcement officers and members of the clergy in most circumstances — to report suspected child abuse or neglect. Any member of the public may also make a report.
Suspected child abuse in Mobile County can be reported to the Mobile Police Department, the Mobile County Sheriff’s Office or the Alabama Department of Human Resources. The National Sexual Assault Hotline operates 24 hours a day at 1-800-656-4673 and provides confidential support and referrals to local services.