TRIGGER WARNING: If you or someone you know needs help, call the Rape & Sexual Assault Crisis Line 1-888-421-1100.
CACHE VALLEY, Utah (ABC4) — A Layton man was charged Wednesday with allegedly kidnapping and assaulting a teenage girl last October.
Kenneth Lawrence Smith, 34, was charged in the 1st Judicial Court with the following:
- Aggravated Kidnapping
- Two counts of forcible sexual abuse
- Two counts of endangerment of a child
- Contributing to the delinquency of a minor
- Damage to or interruption of a communication device
- Sell, offer, or furnishing of alcohol to a minor knowingly.
According to arrest documents, the teen victim contacted Cache Valley Police dispatch in November 2022 and told them she was sexually assaulted and given alcohol, marijuana, and methamphetamine by Smith on October 29, 2022.
According to police reports, Smith took her up to Black Smith Fork Canyon where he allegedly gave her alcohol and drugs. She said she drank the alcohol and ingested some meth and marijuana. She reportedly wasn’t feeling well and was “out of it.”
The teen victim said before they went to Blacksmith Fork Canyon, they had stopped at a haircut place as well as the State Liquor Store in Logan and a Maverik gas station before they continued to Black Smith Fork canyon.
While they were at the canyon, Smith allegedly began to take his pants off, and when she asked what he was doing Smith allegedly said, “sorry, I got confused.”
When the teen victim asked Smith to take her home, he allegedly refused and claimed her mom would be upset if she saw her in that condition. Smith had also allegedly taken her cell phone from her while they were up the canyon and kept it away from her for some of the time they were there.
The teen victim said that Smith had sexually assaulted her at least two times.
The teen victim said she found documentation of the events leading up to the alleged assault, including security footage from the State Liquor Store in Logan — where Smith obtained the alcohol for her–as well as confirmation from the haircut place that Smith had stopped by that day.
The teen victim also said she obtained screenshots of his location at the time of the alleged assault, which showed the Black Smith Fork Canyon area, as well as a text thread between Smith and his wife about the alleged incident with the juvenile victim.
In the alleged text thread, Smith allegedly told his wife that the teen was sick from drinking, smoking weed, and “pineapple,” (a street name for meth). Smith allegedly told his wife he would not take advantage of a young girl.
Smith remains in Cache County jail on a $100,000 bond. He will appear again in court on March 1.
