Physician at Christian school for boys charged with sex crimes

A physician for a boys boarding school in Stockton, Mo., has been charged with sexually assaulting students.

David Smock, 57, who served as doctor for Agape Boarding School, a Christian boarding school for boys in grades five to 12, faces charges of sodomy and child molestation, reports The Springfield News-Leader.

The Kansas City Star reports that Smock also faces more serious counts from the Missouri attorney general.

He has been charged with four counts of statutory sodomy or attempted sodomy — deviate sexual intercourse — involving a child younger than 14; and one count of second-degree statutory sodomy or attempted sodomy. He also is charged with one count each of sexual misconduct involving a child younger than 15, fourth-degree molestation of a child younger than 17 and first-degree stalking. All eight counts are felonies.

Smock was arrested in Arkansas Tuesday night.

Agape Boarding School has been under scrutiny after numerous allegations of abuse, assault and sexual abuse made by former students. 

Smock has been accused of grooming a student with costly gifts and entertainment outings over a period of roughly two years and sexually abusing the boy during a 2018 trip to Springfield to clean up a rental property owned by Smock, according to court documents.