Judge Gayle Crane has set Larry Joe Smith, Jr., age 35 of Reeds Spring, for sentencing on November 28,2011 at 2:00 p.m. Judge Crane found Smith guilty of two counts of statutory sodomy first degree after a three day trial held October 3,4 and s”, 2011. Smith waived jury trial on the first day of trial.
“Smith faces a minimum sentence of 10 years and could be sentenced to life in prison on each count.” According to Robert E. George, Special Prosecutor assigned to handle the case. “The victims were ages 9 and 6 at the time of the crime, therefore, under Missouri statutes, the shortest sentence that can be handed down is 10 years.” George noted.
According to testimony presented by the State, the victims were at the Stone County home of Smith, a truck driver and Stone County fireman, at the time of the incidents. Each victim testified that Smith arranged for the other adults in the home to leave. The children were taken to a bedroom in the home and sodomized prior to the return of the other adults.
The victim’s father had left the children at the Smith home while the father was attending training sessions at the Stone County Fire Protection unit at Branson West, Mo., where the father was a Captain.
The trial was held in Lawrence County based upon a change venue request by the Defendant. Judge Crane, a Jasper County Circuit Judge was assigned to hear the case. Robert George, was assigned to prosecute the case when a conflict arose with the Stone County Prosecutor’s Office.

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