Lakewood man gets jail time in at-risk neglect case

JEFFERSON COUNTY – A Lakewood man who is a former assistant pastor at Red Rocks Baptist Church in Morrison will spend a week in jail and serve a year on probation for dumping trash on a developmentally disabled man who was cleaning a church bus.

Jason Smoker

Jason Smoker, 37, of Lakewood was sentenced on a single charge of neglect of an at-risk adult for disciplining the 21-year-old man, who was cleaning the bus before a church-sponsored outing on Aug. 27, 2008.

Prosecutors said Smoker was not happy with the young man because Smoker felt he had not cleaned the bus properly and, as a disciplinary measure, Smoker tied something, possibly a t-shirt, around the young man’s head, told him to lie down on the ground, then dumped trash on the at-risk man.

The young man was not physically injured, testified at trial that Smoker’s actions scared him even though he trusted had Smoker “not to do anything bad.” The victim told the court that he initially was just scared and confused, but later felt betrayed and humiliated by Smoker’s abuse, according to prosecutors.

The victim and his family were active members of Red Rocks Baptist Church and had participated in many church activities. The victim, whose identity was not released because of his “at-risk” status, regularly worked at the church as a volunteer.

Smoker was convicted of the misdemeanor neglect charge in April.

At Thursday’s sentencing. County Judge KJ Moore said Smoker’s conduct was “absolutely appalling.” Moore also said she is seriously concern that Smoker fails to understand the effect his conduct had on the victim and the victim’s family.

Judge Moore also ordered that Smoker have no conduct with the victim or his family and no contact with anyone with developmental disabilities, in addition to the usual terms and conditions of probation.