EAST LANSDOWNE, Pa. — A Pennsylvania man facing serious allegations in connection with an attack on his girlfriend is now facing additional charges after prosecutors say he repeatedly contacted the woman from jail despite being ordered not to have any contact with her.
Khabir Smith, 25, was initially arrested in April on charges including simple assault, attempted kidnapping, unlawful restraint and reckless endangerment, according to the East Lansdowne Police Department.
The underlying incident reportedly unfolded at an Exxon station on Baltimore Avenue in East Lansdowne, a small borough in the Philadelphia metropolitan area.
Police responded after a woman reported that her boyfriend had repeatedly attacked her.
When officers arrived, Smith was still at the location and was taken into custody. Investigators then reviewed surveillance footage from the gas station.
Surveillance Video Captures Alleged Attack
According to police, the security footage showed the woman standing at the gas station’s checkout counter when Smith entered and immediately began assaulting her.
Investigators said the alleged attack involved blows to her head, face and body. The woman eventually managed to flee the store, but police said Smith continued pursuing her.
Authorities allege that Smith eventually caught up with her outside and dragged her across the parking lot before forcing her into his vehicle.
The situation did not end there.
According to investigators, the woman later escaped from Smith’s vehicle and attempted to find safety inside a stranger’s vehicle nearby.
Police allege that Smith chased her down again, pulled her from the second vehicle and placed her back inside his own vehicle.
Officers arrived shortly afterward, and Smith was ultimately arrested.
242 Calls From Jail Raise New Concerns
Smith was initially able to post bail in the assault case. However, he was arrested again in July on unrelated weapons and theft charges.
It was during his subsequent period in custody that prosecutors say Smith began repeatedly contacting the woman involved in the earlier case.
Delaware County prosecutor Amy Cappelli told a judge that she discovered Smith had made 242 calls to the victim on a recorded jailhouse phone line since April.
The calls allegedly violated a court-issued no-contact order. The sheer number of calls prompted prosecutors to seek additional action against Smith.
He now faces new allegations of disorderly conduct and harassment related to the alleged jail calls.
Prosecutor Says Calls Included Threat
According to Cappelli, at least one of the recorded calls allegedly included a threat aimed at discouraging the woman from testifying against Smith.
During the call, Smith allegedly discussed money that other people owed him and told the woman to collect it.
He allegedly warned that if he were released on bail before those debts were paid, “they’re going to find out what he’s about.”
Prosecutors said the call raised concerns about potential intimidation of the victim while the underlying criminal case remains active.
Cappelli also said she had not investigated whether Smith had attempted other forms of contact, explaining that the 242 phone calls alone were significant enough to raise concern.
Judge Increases Smith’s Bail
During a recent bail hearing, prosecutors asked the court to revoke Smith’s bail in the original assault and attempted kidnapping case.
Smith’s defense attorney argued against revocation, telling the judge that the defendant had not contacted the woman recently and that he already could not afford the existing bail amount.
The attorney also said the state had brought the alleged calls to his attention and that he instructed Smith to stop contacting the victim.
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Ultimately, the judge chose to increase Smith’s bail rather than revoke it.
Smith’s bail was raised to 10% of $100,000, meaning he would need to post $10,000 for that case, while another $10,000 bail was assessed in connection with the July gun and theft case.
The court also made clear that Smith must have no contact whatsoever with the alleged victim as the case moves forward.
Smith Faces September Court Appearance
Smith remains accused of the underlying assault-related offenses as well as the newer allegations connected to the alleged jail calls.
The charges are allegations, and Smith is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court. His next scheduled court appearance is Sept. 22, when the legal proceedings are expected to continue.
The case has drawn particular attention because of the alleged volume of calls made from jail and the prosecutor’s claim that at least one conversation involved an effort to influence whether the victim would testify.
For now, the court has imposed stricter bail conditions while the criminal proceedings continue.
What do you think about the judge increasing bail instead of revoking it? Share your thoughts in the comments.