Former assistant pastor Jason Smoker, 37, will be sentenced on May 27 after he was convicted of dumping trash on an at-risk person as punishment.
He was convicted in a court trial Wednesday before Jefferson County Judge K. J. Moore, court records show.
Smoker had pleaded not guilty to neglect of an at-risk adult, a class 1 misdemeanor.
At the time of the offense, Smoker worked at Red Rocks Baptist Church in Morrison. An arrest affidavit said he had asked asked an unnamed developmentally disabled volunteer to clean out the church van last year but was dissatisfied with how the job was done.
Smoker was accused of having the person lay blindfolded on the parking lot pavement as he poured trash from the bus on him, according to the arrest affidavit.
Before Smoker’s arrest, the church’s pastor, the Rev. Les Heinze, issued a formal letter to Smoker saying his behavior was “completely unacceptable” and “displayed a lack of judgment,” according to the arrest document.
Smoker was dismissed from the job.
At the time he was the church’s facilities manager, who also was responsible for technology, a men’s ministry and an addiction recovery program.
