News

Pisgah Forest man draws long sentence for statutory sex offense

Christopher Raymond Smith

By Lightning Reports, Published: September 14, 2026

A 46-year-old Pisgah Forest man was sentenced to at least 60 years in prison on Friday after a Henderson County jury found him guilty of 12 counts of statutory sex offense with a child 13, 14 or 15 years old, District Attorney Andrew Murray announced.

Superior Court Judge William Stetzer, who presided over the week-long trial, sentenced Christopher Raymond Smith to a minimum of 60 years and a maximum of 87 years in state prison.

The investigation and evidence presented at trial showed that Smith gained the trust of the victim’s parents at his workplace and used that position to access the child. The offenses occurred in 2011.
Assistant District Attorneys Blake Sawyer and Michael Van Buren prosecuted the case. Murray thanked the Henderson County Sheriff's Office, especially lead Detective Cpl. Donnie Ross for her thorough investigation of the case. He also thanked Safelight Child Advocacy Center for the services provided to the victim.

“No one is above the law, and time is no deterrent when it comes to protecting our children from those who prey upon them,” Murray said.