The first of three men convicted in connection with the murder of Kentucky mom Crystal Rogers in 2015 was sentenced on Wednesday to 17 years in prison.
Lawson was convicted in May of conspiracy to commit murder and tampering with physical evidence, and Nelson County Circuit Court Judge Charles Simms III followed the jury’s recommendation for sentencing, WDRB reported.
Simms denied Lawson’s motion for a new trial and said he has 30 days to appeal his conviction to the state Court of Appeals.
Two of Rogers’ family members — her sister and an uncle — gave victim impact statements before the sentencing.
“You could have stopped this,” said Brooke Bryan, Rogers’ sister. “You could have saved her life, and we wouldn’t be here today. Your silence took Crystal’s life.”
Mike Ballard, the uncle, told Lawson he would “be at your parole hearing and do everything I can to stop you from getting out.” He also told Lawson he should have the courage to tell Rogers’ family where her body is buried.
“If you do one right thing in your life, this is the thing to do,” Mike Ballard said. “Let them know where their mom is.”
Rogers disappeared after spending time with her then-boyfriend, wealthy businessman Brooks Houck, over the July 4 weekend in 2015. Her car was later found on the Bluegrass Parkway, still running, with her personal items inside. Ultimately Lawson, his son Joseph Lawson, and Houck were arrested.
Steve Lawson stood trial in May, and the jury took just two hours to return a guilty verdict. The next month, Joseph Lawson was found guilty on the same charges, and Houck was found guilty of murder and complicity tampering with physical evidence.
The younger Lawson and Houck will be sentenced later this month. The jury recommended life plus five years for Houck and 25 years for Lawson.
Late last month, Simms ordered Houck to stop trying to sell his property and other assets ahead of an evidentiary hearing in a wrongful death lawsuit filed against him by Rogers’ children and her mother, Sherry Ballard.
