By Philip Sean Curran, Staff Writer
An accused prostitute who allegedly had sex last year with an employee at the University Store on the Princeton University campus rejected a plea bargain to resolve her criminal case on Wednesday.
Brittany L. Smith, showing up late for her appearance in Superior Court in Trenton, will see the case go to a Mercer County grand jury for a possible indictment.
The Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office had offered her a choice: plead guilty to a third-degree drug charge or to two disorderly persons offenses. In either option, the deal called for no prison time but probation, fines and penalties, said Casey A. DeBlasio, a spokeswoman for the prosecutor’s office, in an email Wednesday.
Ms. Smith, who waited in the courtroom longer than her appearance before Judge Gerald J. Council lasted, left court declining to comment.
Ms. Smith, 21, formerly of Keyport now of Plainfield, was arrested by then-borough police Sept. 25 on charges that she was paid for sex by a now-former night manager at the University Store on University Place. Authorities said they were aware of three alleged encounters between Ms. Smith and 23-year-old Eric Everett of Chesterfield, who allegedly met her on the website Craigslist. The pair also allegedly stole food from the store, authorities have claimed.
Ms. Smith faces charges of possession of Adderall tablets and three disorderly persons offenses of shoplifting, prostitution and possession of drug paraphernalia.
In January, Mr. Everett was admitted to the pre-trial intervention program, a type of probation for low level offenders, that calls for him to do 40 hours of community service, pay $700 in restitution and undergo 12 months of supervision by a probation officer. If he successfully completes the program, he will have no criminal record.

