Ron Pruiett & Larry Joe Smith Are Lucky Bastards
January 17, 2008 by impqueen
Dayton, Ohio – Two child rapists walked out of jail this week without a trial when investigators determined that the child victims were too young and traumatized to testify on the stand. The abuse allegedly occured in 2007 while the children were visiting their grandmother, who lived nearby.
Ronald Pruiett, 30 (pictured above), and Larry Joe Smith, 47, both have previous records of sex offenses. Pruiett pled guilty in 2005 to gross sexual imposition, and Smith has a 1982 conviction of gross sexual imposition involving a four-year-old child.
The victims, a five-year-old girl and a seven-year-old boy, are reported to be so terrified of their attackers that they are unable to face them or even speak about what happened in a courtroom. The five-year-old female victim has been treated for a sexually transmitted disease as a result of the abuse and apparently disclosed what had been happening when she had to be treated for the STD.
The children’s mother states that she feels the men should have been held in jail until her children could testify, and I wish that was possible. I think there’s got to be a better answer than “if you can’t testify, they walk.” If the little girl has herpes, for example, some labs are able to get DNA on the strain of the virus. That could be compared to the accused men to see who transmitted the disease. Granted, it may not be enough for a conviction, but it’s something. Combined with therapist testimony, it might get the job done.
This is a case where the abuse was horrific, the children have been terrorized, and now Ohio is telling these kids that they will not be safe or protected. This kind of system failure is why vigilante crimes happen. Someone’s gonna take care of these guys before they hurt another child (or go back for the same kids). And that person will do jail time for doing what the state of Ohio should have already done.
One-strike child sexual abuse legislation would have kept these children safe in the first place. Now they have to go to sleep every night afraid that these monsters will come back and hurt or kill them, as they probably threatened to do during the abuse. And you know what? Now Pruiett and Smith are out walking around free, with nothing stopping them from doing just that.
I actually started writing about this yesterday, but a combination of bourbon and disgust left me unable to get this posted until today. If you live in Ohio, write some people. Make some noise. Get some laws changed so this kind of bullshit doesn’t keep happening. Because someone’s gonna get killed because of this. I just hope it’s not a child.
1:29 pm on January 17th, 2008
Funny. I was writing about this yesterday as well. I got held up looking for a goddamn picture. Good job and thanks for posting it.
I bet the grandmother feels like total shit.
1:38 pm on January 17th, 2008
I found Ronald Pruiett’s pic on the National Sex Offender Registry from a previous conviction. If that’s not just freakin’ sad i dunno what is.
Can’t find Larry Joe anywhere – at least, not that I can verify is him, and i’d hate to have some poor innocent Larry Joe get the beatdown.
Toldja we like the same stories.
2:03 pm on January 17th, 2008
Oh, that’s just WRONG on so many levels. We prosecute murders all the time, fer cryin’ out loud, and those victims can’t testify. We prosecute rapes of infants. We prosecute abuse of hospitalized and comatose victims.
There is absolutely no excuse for this. Unless there’s some other reason there is insufficient evidence. But claiming it’s the kids’ fault because they’re not strong enough to get on the stand? That’s bullshit, pure and simple.
2:04 pm on January 17th, 2008
wtf? was there no dna or any other proof? like they had access to the kids? ridiculous! those poor victims! i hope children’s rights advocates get all over the press on this!
2:08 pm on January 17th, 2008
So let me get this straight, this grandmother allowed not one, but TWO sex offenders to be alone with her grandchildren? What the fuck?
And because they scared the shit out of these babies, they get to walk free?
If they are registered (well at least one of them is for sure) isn’t he violating some condition of the registry? Shouldn’t he be disciplined just for being around the children?
I wonder how long it will be til we have another headline saying “Ron Pruiett & Larry Joe Smith WISH they were in jail.”
2:10 pm on January 17th, 2008
‘Bout as long as it takes someone to round up a ski mask, some fishing line, and a baseball bat, hopefully.
2:11 pm on January 17th, 2008
LL44, although I agree with you, let’s not all just hope. Let’s do something, anything. Even though I dont live in Ohio, can I still write someone about this??? This affects everyone on this earth, you dont know where these bastards might end up. This is unreal, I cant believe this. Why dont these kids tell their parents what’s happening? They are that afraid of the molestor? I know they are little kids and you cant expect them to know what to do in a situation like this, but I wish there was something we could do to make sure children know that they can speak up!
2:11 pm on January 17th, 2008
This is bullshit! Why do little kids have to be in the courtroom anyway, can’t they tape their statements. WTF OHIO sucks! Like these kids have not been through enough, now the sick fucks who raped them are running around free.
2:15 pm on January 17th, 2008
This is another reason why I don’t let even relatives be alone with my child. Only my mom and dad, and I live with them so I know that no one comes around who shouldnt be. I think about my son’s grandma on his dad’s side, and there is no way in hell I would let my son go to her house without me. She is a nice lady, but I have no idea who comes around that house. People. please please please PREPARE FOR THE WORST! It doesn’t mean keep your kids prisoners, but you have to understand that when you leave your kids in other people’s care, you have to think “Is it even remotely possible that there will be other people in that household that I dont know?”
2:22 pm on January 17th, 2008
The way I understand it, the grandmother was letting the kids play outside and they were lured with candy, but you’d think she’d have noticed they were gone or noticed something was wrong when they got back.
and solange,
Yes. That’s exactly why they don’t tell. Until you’ve had someone violate you, hurt you and then tell you they’ll kill your mommy or your dog or your brother or sister if you tell, you can’t imagine. And when you’re five, or seven, you don’t question that. These guys terrified those kids, probably raped them in front of each other, and they were so brave and strong to tell at all – it’s no wonder they don’t have the strength to testify. They’re lucky to be alive. I hope they get to stay that way.
2:27 pm on January 17th, 2008
If you go to this link, they have a picture of the other guy when you play the video. Maybe you can get a screenshot. Wait till you see this guy Larry….
http://www.whiotv.com/news/15059916/detail.html
2:31 pm on January 17th, 2008
There is no way in freaking hell that I would let kids this age play outside without me being right there with them. Another case, just like most of the rest, where this could have been avoided if parents/caretakers were doing what they were supposed to do! I know someone is going to probably say that I shouldnt put the blame on them, that I dont know the situation, blah blah blah. But I dont care, you DO NOT let a 4 year old and 7 year old outside alone for this long. For these guys to have the opportunity to rape these two kids, the grandmother must have been somewhere else for quite a while.
2:35 pm on January 17th, 2008
Trust me Imp, I am in no way blaming children for not telling. It is just hard for me to understand, that’s all. But like you said, until it happens to you, you can’t understand. I just wonder, if people talk to their kids and prepare them in case situations like this happen, maybe the kids will understand that if they tell mom or dad, they will be ok.
2:36 pm on January 17th, 2008
Right there with you on that one – the “who’s watching the kids” ball definitely got dropped, especially if it turns out that it happened more than once.
2:38 pm on January 17th, 2008
Oh my gosh, I know! I saw that and i just couldn’t get a good quality shot off of it, but the dude is nasty.
I’m still not sure why he’s not a registered sex offender given his previous conviction, unless his crime predated legislation since it was 1982.
And i know you weren’t blaming the kids for not telling. Don’t mind me.. sometimes i get a little overly empathetic
2:43 pm on January 17th, 2008
I know this is an obvious one, but I’ll mention it anyway. Not only are all kids now in danger from these two men, but what message does this send out to other child molestors? I’ll tell ya what it says: “Make sure the kids are as young as possible, and threaten them to the point where they are completely afraid of you”. Good job Ohio, good fucking job!
2:53 pm on January 17th, 2008
Thanks. I’m getting it now.
3:02 pm on January 17th, 2008
And apparently make sure you are in Ohio when you commit these crimes.
3:07 pm on January 17th, 2008
Now I wish I hadn’t. No wonder the kids are in counseling.
3:09 pm on January 17th, 2008
Eek! He didn’t even come near me, and I now need therapy!
3:10 pm on January 17th, 2008
From the news clip….
Officials said charges could be brought against the men in the future when the children are stable enough to testify.
Prosecutors said the case remains open, and the children are undergoing counseling.
So some “good” news… as long as the kids can testify before the bastards rights (aka statute of limitations) runs out…
3:12 pm on January 17th, 2008
and I guess they won’t be going to visit Grandma’s anymore…
I wonder if Grandma knew there sere registered sex offenders in the neighborhood? Maybe if she had done a little “homework” she might not have let them outside to play alone?
3:12 pm on January 17th, 2008
I think the Grandmother grew up in a time and raised her children in a time when a 4 and 7 year old could play outside in a small yard safely. It would have been considered healthy for them to be in the sunshine and give the woman of the house a chance to do some chores. The concern would be that the kids wander off, and a fence would take care of that. What a terrible way for her to learn that times have changed.
This story made me sorry that Wrench-Rape Dad turned himself in.
3:15 pm on January 17th, 2008
Sorry Wrybread, that doesn’t fly with me. This wasnt in a “small yard”. This was an apartment complex with all kind of people around. Even old people have common sense. Although apparantly this lady didn;t.
Hahahahaha! Can’t stop laughing at this comment
3:17 pm on January 17th, 2008
Sad but true
3:41 pm on January 17th, 2008
but mom certainly could’ve looked it up …
as a child in the ’70’s, raised by a single mom at the time, we lived in an apt building – and we were not allowed to set 1 foot outside our apt door without our mother, ever. period.
my mom always said no matter the size of the bldg, you never really “knew” your neighbours and with 2 little girls, she wasn’t taking chances… and i’m glad…
and unless this grandma lived in a cave/tunnel, she must read a paper or see the news or at very least gossip with friends… she must know what a pedophile is & how often this kind of stuff happens these days!
Ignorance is NOT an excuse!
3:41 pm on January 17th, 2008
No shit. I can’t think of one single candy tasty enough to have gotten me to go anywhere near that creepy fuck.
3:51 pm on January 17th, 2008
They are like the pedophile version of Cheech and Chong
3:55 pm on January 17th, 2008
One good thing about this situation is that since it has hit the news, parents are aware of these two perverts and will keep their children away from them which will keep other children safe from them. Ohio does have a limitation and I hope these two wonderful children get the courage to send these two where they belong….in a cell with Bubba where taking a bowel movement will be a lot easier on them in the near future.
4:12 pm on January 17th, 2008
What in the fucking hell? Tape them in the damn counselor’s office. Those poor kids.
Oh my god! Talk about evil twins.
4:16 pm on January 17th, 2008
it sounds to me like they dont want to take it to trial because they dont know for sure if they would win. Also sounds little lazy or cheap. Do they not want to spend money on DNA tests? It seems in this day and age that there would be some kind of test to prove where the little girl got herpes. Also, why cant they just show video of the children telling their therapists what happened? Why can’t the judge ask the children in a seperate room what happened? It is so horrible that these guys are just walking around. The next thing we are going to hear is they raped and killed the next children they come across.
I left my son with grandma only once. I sat her down and told her my rules which included “you CANNOT leave him with anyone else!” When I went to pick him up he told me he went to church with grandma’s friend. Grandma stayed at home. I told her that I loved her but that my son would not stay at her home again alone. I dont care if she went to church with the person or if it was her best friend from highschool. If you do not have your eyes on my child the entire time you are watching him you are not allowed to watch him. Grandma thought it was okay because she went to church with the person but how many people say that after the child has been abused?
7:12 pm on January 17th, 2008
I think the idiocy of Ohio would piss off Mother Theresa. What the fuck, are they waiting for a little older victim this time, one that maybe can testify? Jesus Christ, with everything that happens in this country today, you think SOMEONE would know better than to release these pigs.
7:21 pm on January 17th, 2008
Yeah, you all are right. An apartment complex is a very different thing. Letting any kids play outside in an apartment complex is the equivalent of dropping them off in the parking lot of mall.
7:42 pm on January 17th, 2008
Good for you, it frustrates me so much to read about moms who couldn’t care less who their kids are with. Unless the person has “child molester” tattooed on their forehead, they think that it’s ok to leave them alone with their kids. If all parents were like you and I MG, we wouldn’t be reading many of these stories about children being abused.
11:08 pm on January 17th, 2008
thanks
I try.
However…….my sister and I are the same way and her child did get hurt. She left her kids with someone she trusted and that person had other people over and all of the kids were playing in the back yard. there was not enough supervision. One of the kids that was there (her kids were not allowed to play with because my sister knew that he was a bad kid and had been through some stuff) got my nephew away from the other kids and stuck rocks inside of him. so even kids of the best parents get hurt.
so even though nothing happened to my son it could have. I have to remember that and try harder to keep him safe. I dont want anything horrible to happen to him that will ruin his childhood.
4:17 am on January 18th, 2008
I live in Ohio 60 miles south of Dayton ~ its no diff. then any other state when it comes to sex crimes and the registry. We have local news and world news these here stories never make it on the news and most people that work full time may not even hear about these two.
I know of a sex offender that was 19 at the time and molested 2 boys one 4 and the other 5 that lived in his brothers apt complex. They kept him in prison nearly 20 years he was almost 40 when he got out and had 5 yrs of parole on top of it.
I am not sure if the kids talked or what evidence they had – but I was told when he first got sentenced that he would not be released until the boys reached legal age.
scary there are many more like these two walking around on the streets – the damn technicality defenses that prevent the state to hold them. obviously someone talked if they identified these two. It is the judge decision to screen the kids in the chambers or on video. At least thats what I thought.
8:13 am on January 19th, 2008
Stuffed rocks in him? God.
I think in another day and time a lot of these bad seed kids would not have lived long. They were the kids who fell down the well, got crushed by a horse, ran away and died, and so forth. Nowadays we are spared the horror of childhood death in large measure, but the flip side is that we have to deal with little evil seeds who benefit from the safer life that has developed. In fact, they are protected by having their records wiped clean when they reach adult age — set free to pursue their adult career among us.
8:43 am on January 19th, 2008
awww man Mg so sorry that is a fricken shame – how long ago was that – is he ok ? What does he recall about the incident. Bet your sister and yourself are overly protective due to that.
What became of that boy – how old was he at the time ?
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