Rape Charges Dropped Against Orland Park Man In Indiana Case

ORLAND PARK, IL — Prosecutors in Indiana have dropped rape charges against an Orland Park man who had been facing allegations that he sexually assaulted an Indiana teenager in 2021.

A judge granted the state’s motion to dismiss charges against Connor Smith, 32, after prosecutors said that they could not prove their case beyond a reasonable doubt, The Times of Northwest Indiana reported on Tuesday.

Smith was arrested in December after police said that he met the 16-year-old girl online and arranged to meet her at an Indiana hotel. Court records showed that once at the hotel, police said that Smith — who once appeared on an MTV reality show — raped the girl, which led to him being criminally charged.

However, this week, Lake County (Ind.) deputy prosecutor Tara Villarreal wrote that the girl was no longer cooperating with police, which left the state no option but to drop its case, the newspaper reported on Tuesday.

Villarreal also said that her office was unsuccessful in reaching the victim, which led to its decision to seek the motion from the court to dismiss charges.

Smith’s attorney told The Times of Northwest Indiana that Smith now faces a long road despite having the charges dropped.

“Unfortunately, these types of accusations, despite a dismissal, carry consequences that are far-reaching," attorney Maryam Afshar-Stewart told the newspaper. "While a dismissal is a step in the right direction, Mr. Smith has a long road ahead to repair the damage that has been caused by these false allegations."

Afshar-Stewart did not immediately return an email seeking comment from her or her client on Wednesday.