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This candy man was packing more than Skittles.
Michael Smith, who police sources say runs an Oliver Twist-like “candy kids” scheme targeting tourists, was allegedly nabbed by cops doing his shady schtick in Central Park last week — with a .357 Magnum stashed in his bag.
Police had been on the lookout for the 24-year-old New Jersey man for allegedly robbing a guy just one day earlier after the victim shunned his pitch for the overpriced candy, sources said.
Smith is also accused of pummeling yet another would-be customer on the day after Thanksgiving when victim refused his pitch, sources said.
In addition, Smith was being sought on an outstanding warrant for a 2018 assault during which he is accused of breaking another victim’s nose for refusing to buy candy, too, sources said. Smith was charged in the case but allegedly skipped out while it was pending.
Cops nabbed him in the park Friday — and allegedly found the “hand cannon” stashed in this backpack after taking him into custody, sources said. Smith was charged with criminal possession of a weapon, records show.
The so-called “candy kids” ploy is a classic local racket, sources said.
Smith and others buy the candy in bulk, then push it on tourists themselves and recruit kids to help peddle it, too, at inflated prices, falsely claiming the money is to raise funds for a school or sports team, sources said.
“They’re well-known in the park, the candy kids,” a source told The Post. “They lay low. … [Now] it’s Christmas time and time to make money. They’re pariah.”
In the latest case against him, Smith is accused of approaching a tourist from Puerto Rico on Thursday and trying to sell him Twizzlers — only to have the suspect and a second man allegedly snatch the victim’s wallet and run off with $300, sources said.
On Nov. 26, Smith is accused of going up to a pair of tourists from Massachusetts near the Wollman Skating Rink at the park and trying to peddle the candy. The victim turned him down and Smith “gets aggressive,” and slugs him, a source said.
In the assault warrant case, Smith allegedly walked up to a 53-year-old man and his wife in the park and asked the guy to buy candy to support a basketball team — only to break his nose when he declined to purchase any sweets, sources said.
In all, Smith has five New York arrests on his record dating to 2017 and another open bench warrant for assault and disorderly conduct, sources said.
He is being held on a $25,000 bond at the Eric M. Taylor Center on Riker’s Island, city jail records show.
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