Onalaska man faces felonies after allegedly propositioning young girl
A 66-year-old Onalaska man told investigators he hit the wrong button on his phone and accidentally solicited a young girl for sex, according to documents filed in Lewis County Superior Court.
Marty Lee Smetzler was arrested and booked into the Lewis County Jail on June 5 following an investigation by the Morton Police Department.
He's charged with communication with a minor for immoral purposes, a class C felony punishable by up to five years in prison and a $10,000 fine, and attempted commercial sexual abuse of a minor, a class B felony punishable by up to 10 years in prison and a $20,000 fine.
Smetzler appeared in Lewis County Superior Court to face the charges on Monday, June 8. There, Lewis County Superior Court Judge Joely Yeager set bail at $100,000. If he posts bail, Smetzler is barred from having contact with children or being anywhere children congregate. That applies to his family members who are children as well, according to court documents.
Smetzler's arraignment was set for Thursday, June 11.
According to the affidavit of probable cause filed by prosecutors, Morton police were notified on May 13 that an individual was at Gust Backstrom Park seeking to find Smetzler, who had been in contact with their 12-year-old daughter on Facebook Messenger attempting to meet up with the girl for sex.
"In the messages (the girl) told Marty she was almost 13, and he continued to ask her to have sex with him, offering her money to do so, and sent pictures of his genitalia and the cash," the affidavit states. "Officers requested the Facebook information and began investigating."
A pair of Morton police officers met with Smetzler on May 28. He allegedly admitted to talking to the girl, but said he stopped talking to her when "he found out she was 15."
"They then went to speak with him further on June 5, 2026, where he admitted the girl he was talking to was 13 or 14, but also said he hit the wrong button on his phone when he was talking to her and he accidentally solicited her for sex," the affidavit states.
According to court documents, Smetzler has convictions for forgery and second-degree burglary from 2021 as well as multiple older misdemeanor convictions.
Smetzler was a witness for the prosecution in the 2013 trial of Rick Riffe for the 1985 murders of Ed and Minnie Maurin. Smetzler testified that about a week before the Maurin murders he was at a party and overheard the Riffe brothers talking about robbing and killing an elderly couple. Smetzler, who was initially a suspect in the murders, also testified he had a traumatic brain injury that affected his memory.
Rick Riffe was ultimately found guilty.
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