Amador County – The District Attorney announced yesterday that a Jackson man was sentenced to 8 years in prison on April 29 for the rape of a woman at the National Hotel. Larry Steven Smith, 51, received his sentencing from visiting Judge Thomas Smith one month after an Amador County Jury found him guilty of felony charges of rape of an intoxicated person, rape of an unconscious person and a misdemeanor sexual battery. The rape occurred on November 11, 2008, when a female victim who had visited Jackson for a shopping trip and stopped at the Fargo Club for a drink reported that she’d woken in the National Hotel with no recollection of how she got there. The investigation was assigned to and investigated by Detective Chris Mynderup. According to District Attorney Todd Riebe, “surveillance video of the Fargo Club and the National Hotel were obtained that showed that the victim was so intoxicated at the Fargo Club that she vomited on the floor, was unable to stand or walk without Smith’s assistance, and at one point, was passed out at the bar.” Smith is seen groping the victim and taking advantage of her intoxication. After a male companion of Smith’s used the victim’s credit card to obtain a room at the hotel, Smith is seen returning multiple times to the room. Smith reportedly demonstrated “no remorse” during the trial; while the victim talk about the negative impacts this has had on her life. She said she is afraid to let her daughter play outside and her trust in people has been shattered. Riebe was happy with the outcome, stating that it was the product of the hard work of the Jackson Police and Deputy District Attorney Gabrielle Bettencourt. Riebe said, “This case stands as a testament to the courage of the victim, who told her story under the most uncomfortable of all circumstances to ensure that the man who raped her would not escape punishment and perhaps victimize someone else.” Story by Alex Lane This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.