Man Accused of Murder of 11-Year-Old Indicted on Sex Abuse Charges

A Binghamton man, who has been sitting in jail waiting for his trial on a murder charge in the death of an 11-year-old Johnson City boy, is now also being charged with two felony counts each of predatory sexual assault against a child and rape.  

Broome County District Attorney Michael Korchak announced August 14 the new indictment against 45-year-old Larry Harris. 

Korchak says a victim came forward alleging the sexual abuse happened between October 2013 and March 2019, one month before Harris was indicted on murder and manslaughter charges in connection with the death of Jerome Smith in his mother’s apartment on Burbank Avenue.

31-year-old Shakia Crute pleaded guilty last year to obstructing authorities in their investigation into her son’s death on February 2, 2019.  Crute was Harris’ girlfriend at the time.

Prior to being charged with murder and manslaughter in the 5^th-grader’s death, Harris had been jailed a little over a month after the boy’s death on drug-related charges filed by Binghamton police. 

No trial date has been set for Harris on any of the charges.