A former girls soccer coach at Winooski High School was arrested and charged with several sex crimes after he was accused of lewd conduct with a girl under the age of 16.
Kane Smart, 44, who also worked as an environmental enforcement and litigation attorney with the Vermont Agency of Natural Resources, was arrested on Wednesday and charged with luring a child and with lewd and lascivious conduct with a child, according to a Vermont State Police press release.
In an affidavit filed in court, police said Smart in 2021 knowingly tried to lure a child under the age of 16 years to engage in a sexual act. Police first received a report detailing the allegations in January 2025 and interviewed the student shortly after.
The girl told police that Smart “took advantage” of her, according to the affidavit. Smart would allegedly touch her inappropriately during soccer practice and at events outside of school, according to court documents.
VTDigger does not typically name the victims of sexual abuse.
Smart did not respond to an emailed request for comment on Thursday. A voicemail left for his attorney, Frank Twarog, was not returned.
The Winooski School District, when alerted to the allegations in January, suspended Smart from having contact with children at the school, according to the affidavit.
Police allege that Smart began acting inappropriately with the girl in the fall of 2021. She told police he would pull the waistband of her shorts and touch her inappropriately during soccer practice.
The girl told police other players had similar experiences, according to the affidavit.
Smart, on one occasion, allegedly asked her to go over to his home while his wife was out of town, according to court documents, and while attending a UVM soccer game at Virtue Field in November 2021, he allegedly began to rub her thigh while they were seated under a blanket and attempted to unzip her pants.
Stephanie Bracken, communications director with the Agency of Natural Resources, where Smart has been employed, said the agency was alerted yesterday of Smart’s arraignment but did not have more information to share.
“We are taking this matter seriously and are currently working closely with Human Resources to determine the appropriate next steps,” Bracken said.
Smart was arraigned on Wednesday in Rutland. The case is being prosecuted in Rutland County due to a potential conflict with the Chittenden County State’s Attorney’s Office, police said. Smart’s wife is a prosecutor with the Chittenden County State’s Attorney’s Office.
