Steven Lawson has been formally sentenced for his role in the disappearance of Crystal Rogers.
A jury at the Warren County Justice Center on May 30 found Lawson guilty of Class B Felony Conspiracy to Commit Murder and Class D Felony Tampering with Physical Evidence following a four-day trial.
During the sentencing hearing Wednesday, Nelson Circuit Judge Charles Simms III issued a sentence in conformity with the jury’s recommendation of a total sentence of 17 years in prison. Lawson was sentenced to 17 years on the Conspiracy charge and five years on the Tampering charge, with the sentences to be served concurrently.
During the hearing, Rogers’s uncle Mike Ballard said he was there to see Lawson off before a long prison sentence, and that he would do everything he can to make sure Lawson never gets parole. Ballard said “In July of 2015, you made a choice to be a part of planning the murder of my niece Crystal Rogers. You could have prevented all of this from happening if you had just gone to the police and done the right thing. If you had done that I believe Crystal would still be here today, and so would my brother Tommy Ballard.” He implored Lawson to think of Rogers’s children and said “If you do one right thing in your life, this is the thing to do: let them know where their mom is.”
Lawson will have 30 days after the sentencing judgement is entered by the circuit court clerk’s office to file for an appeal.
Joseph Lawson, who was found guilty of the same charges as his father, and Brooks Houck, who was found guilty of Murder and Tampering with Physical Evidence, will be sentenced in Nelson Circuit Court on August 21.
