Weatherman charged with incest

By Brian D. Bridgeford / News Republic

Smith, of Madison's Channel 3, faces up

to 40 years in prison if convicted

WISC Channel 3 morning weatherman Jeff Smith faces up to 40 years in prison after the Sauk County prosecutor charges he groped his 7-year-old daughter during an incident last fall at their Prairie du Sac home.

Smith's attorney, Stephen J. Eisenberg of Madison, said Smith has a normal, loving relationship with his daughter and he strongly rejects the allegations. Smith is upset that untruthful allegations have been made against him, the attorney said.

Jeffrey F. Smith, 44, who uses "Jeff" on the air, now a Merrimac resident, appeared in Sauk County Circuit Court on Friday to face a count of incest stemming from an incident in November 2007.

In court documents, a Sauk Prairie police officer reports observing a child protection worker's interview with the girl this summer. The child described getting into her parents' bed at their Prairie du Sac home while her mother was in the bathroom and her father was downstairs on the computer.

She said she woke in bed with both parents to find her father's hand down the front of her pajama bottoms. On an anatomical drawing she pointed to her genital area as the location he was touching.

The officer also interviewed the girl's mother, who said they sometimes allowed their daughter to sleep in their bed, such as when there are storms.

One night in November 2007, she awoke to hear her daughter saying "stop it, Daddy" and saw Smith's hand down the front of the daughter's pajamas, the documents state.

The mother said she had to awaken Smith to get him to remove his hand, records state.

The officer reports interviewing Smith on July 24. He initially said he and his wife were going through a divorce and the allegation was all about custody, according to the documents. All that happened was his daughter woke himself and his wife up in the middle of the night. Smith told the officer.

As the interview continued, Smith modified his story. He said they went to bed after a few drinks and his daughter got into bed between them, the records state. Smith said he was reaching out to his wife and didn't realize his daughter was between them.

"I was out of it. I had no idea (the girl) was there," the officer quotes him. "I thought I was touching (my wife)."

In court Friday, Smith was formally advised of the charges and then released on a signature bond.

The judge has ordered that he have no unsupervised contact with his daughter and no contact with his wife except during the divorce proceedings.

Eisenberg contacted the BNR on Friday evening to say that Smith is upset by the allegations and strongly rejects them.

"Jeff Smith vehemently denies the allegations," he said. "He looks forward to proving his innocence in court."

Eisenberg said the charge is one that is easy to make, but is a mistake.

Smith has been suspended from his job as the weekday show News 3 This Morning's meteorologist pending an investigation into the allegations, said Colin Benedict, news director at WISC TV, Channel 3 in Madison. He would not say how long it would be before they would have a decision about whether Smith could return to the air.

"We just became aware of this (Friday)," he said. "As of right now, Jeff is suspended while we investigate the matter. But, as with all personnel matters, I can't go much beyond that."

The station's three other meteorologists are likely to rotate the job of morning weatherman on WISC, Benedict said.

If Smith is convicted, the charge carries a maximum penalty of 40 years in prison and a $100,000 fine. He is due back in court Jan. 7.