West Jordan man convicted of over two dozen sex crimes, most involving children

SALT LAKE CITY — A West Jordan man was convicted of 25 felony sex crimes, including aggravated sexual abuse of a child and rape, on Wednesday.

Jamison Smith, 49, was found guilty of one count of aggravated sexual abuse of a child, a first-degree felony; one count of object rape, a first-degree felony; six counts of forcible sodomy, a first-degree felony; 12 counts of felony forcible sexual abuse, a second-degree felony; and five counts of felony rape, a first-degree felony, according to the Salt Lake County District Attorney’s office.

According to a police affidavit, the investigation began on Jun. 28, 2021. West Jordan police first received reports of sexual abuse against a child, and began interviewing victims.

Through the investigation, what was uncovered was a decades-long series of sex crimes, with one victim’s experiences spanning over a decade, from 2009 until 2021, though other crimes were noted dating back as far as January 1991. 

“Preying on children is an abhorrent and depraved crime, and we appreciate the jury finding Mr. Smith guilty of all counts for his despicable behavior,” said Salt Lake County District Attorney Sim Gill, in a released statement.

At the time that the police affidavit was filed, Smith worked in some capacity for the U.S. military, and “There have been statements made by (Smith’s) family that (he) could easily be the guy to shoot his wife, his kids and himself before going to prison,” according to the affidavit.

Other victims in the case stated that the abuse lasted multiple years, and according to the filed indictment, “(Smith) is a predator. (Smith) is a danger to himself, the community, the victims, and young girls.”

“This conviction will help to deliver justice to the survivor of Mr. Smith’s crimes. Coming forward as a survivor of crimes like this is hard enough, but being willing to stick through a case and testify on the stand shows the courage we hope we can help every survivor feel when they interact with our office,” Gill said.

Smith is set to be sentenced on Apr. 08.

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If you have experienced sexual violence, you can access help and resources by calling Utah’s 24-hour Sexual Violence Help Line at 1-801-736-4356 (English) or 1-801-924-0860 (Spanish). You can also call the Rape Recovery Center office line during office hours at 801-467-7282 or the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-4673 for free, confidential counseling.