BLM manager appears in court on child sex abuse charges

KANAB — A Bureau of Land Management official facing numerous child sex abuse charges made a brief appearance in court Friday.

Rex Lee Smart, 60, appeared before a judge in 6th District Court where he was formally charged with two counts of forcible sodomy, six counts of forcible sex abuse, one count of rape, two counts of kidnapping, all first-degree felonies; and two counts of forcible sex abuse.

According to court records, Smart was ordered to appear in court again on Feb. 8 for a motion hearing. A judge is expected to decide if there's enough evidence to make him stand trial after a preliminary hearing scheduled for March.

Smart is the head of the BLM's field office in Kanab. He has been on administrative leave, federal officials said.