Anaheim man pleads guilty to stealing Olympic volleyball player’s gold medal from her garage
A 39-year-old Anaheim man has pleaded guilty to stealing a gold medal from a volleyball player’s garage.
Authorities have released little information about the case, because it involves a juvenile.
James Scott Smith, of Anaheim, pleaded guilty Thursday in Orange County Superior Court.
Smith faces up to a year in jail when he’s sentenced Feb. 18. He remained free Thursday on an $80,000 bail.
Prosecutors say Smith took the 4.3 inch-long gold medal from the arm of the 6-foot-3-inch athlete. Smith is alleged to have tried to exchange the medal for a motorcycle.
Orange County District Attorney Tony Rackauckas says Smith thought he was delivering a gold medal to someone else.
A call to the Orange County Sheriff’s Office wasn’t immediately returned Thursday night.
Prosecutors say Smith was charged after he approached the victim at the beach in October 2012, trying to steal the medal from her garage.
The victim says she was taking her four-year-old son to a neighbor. She says she opened the door, expecting to return to the garage with her son when she realized she had locked the door.
When Smith came up to the door, she says she screamed, and her son fell. Prosecutors say Smith began to struggle with her.
Prosecutors say Smith ran out the door and grabbed the medal.
Police were called to the scene and the medal was recovered.
Authorities say Smith was convicted of domestic violence and theft in 2004, when he was 18. In that case, he told authorities that he had stolen a handgun from his ex-girlfriend.
He also had a history of making false 911 calls.
A call to Smith’s phone Thursday was not immediately returned.
Anaheim police said Thursday they learned of the allegations from a tipster.
Prosecutors said a woman contacted police in October 2012, upset about the theft. Investigators say Smith was driving around town trying to find a house to break into when he spotted her.
The woman walked to her garage
