Judge Simms to consider bond reduction for Crystal Rogers co-conspirator

NC GAZETTE / WBRT RADIO
STAFF REPORT

Thursday, Jan. 4, 2024 — The third person arrested in connection with the disappearance and assumed death of Crystal Rogers was in court Thursday afternoon to request a reduction in his bond.

Steven Eugene Lawson, 53, of Chaplin, appeared before Nelson Circuit Judge Charles Simms III to request a reduction of his bond from $500,000 cash to either $20,000 cash bond or a $40,000 real estate bond.

According to Lawson’s attorney Ted Lavit, his client cannot afford either bond but said the reduction would give him a reason to try to make bond.

Lavit argued that Lawson had nothing to do with Rogers disappearance. Lawson’s son, Joseph Lawson, was the first person arrested in early September in the Rogers case. Father and son are currently facing the same charges — conspiracy to murder and tampering with physical evidence.

Lavit told Judge Simms that his client is not a flight risk, as he has appeared before previous grand juries and cooperated with investigators on the case.

Special prosecutor Shane Young argued that the $500,000 bond was not oppressive and that it fits the crime based on evidence, which includes admissions Lawson made.

Lawson and his son Joseph are charged with conspiracy to commit murder. According to Lavit, at the time of Rogers’ 2015 disappearance, he was working for the main suspect Brooks Houck. And he admitted to picking up his son Joseph, who had allegedly driven Rogers’ car to the Bluegrass Parkway.

Following the bond reduction hearing, Lavit told the media after reviewing the thousands of pages of discovery he’s reviewed so far,, there’s been no mention of his client hurting anyone or being involved with Crystal’s disappearance.

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