Hudsonville man sentenced to 50 years for near-daily rape of his child

GRAND HAVEN — Ottawa County Circuit Court Judge Jon Hulsing did not mince words Monday in sending off a man convicted of the habitual rape of a 12-year-old to serve what amounts to the rest of his life behind bars.

"Take this child rapist to prison," Hulsing ordered, ushering Ottawa County Sheriff's Office deputies to lead Shawn William Smith out of the courtroom.

The 37-year-old Hudsonville man had, multiple times a week, sometimes two or three times a day, sexually-assaulted his child who was under the age of 13.

The abuse went on for several years, according to court documents. In addition to raping the child, the man also captured videos of the victim, watched pornographic films with them and considered himself in a romantic relationship with the child.

"This is a worst of the worst case, your honor," said Ottawa County assistant prosecuting attorney Jacob Jenison as he asked the judge to impose the 50-year sentence.

The victim, now in high school, took the witness stand Monday to tearfully describe the destructive effect the abuse had on their relationship with their body, their family and their ability to trust others.

"You were my role model," the victim said to their father.

Smith was convicted by a jury of two counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct, a felony that carries a minimum sentence of 25 years in prison.

Before sentencing, Smith told the courtroom he had recently become a Christian, accepted that his crimes were sins and had started praying for his family every day.

The prosecutor's office asked the judge to make the 25-year sentences on the two charges run consecutive to one another instead of concurrently, putting Smith behind bars for half a century. The judge agreed.

In handing down the 50-year sentence, the judge called Smith an "animal" and said his self-described sex addiction was no justification for his actions.

The judge also noted during the court process Smith had tried to convince relatives to change their testimony on the witness stand.

"You have no self control and lack any moral compass," Hulsing said. "If any family needs to be protected from a child rapist, it's this family."

— Contact reporter Carolyn Muyskens at cmuyskens@hollandsentinel.com and follow her on Twitter at @cjmuyskens.

This article originally appeared on The Holland Sentinel: Shawn William Smith sentenced to 50 years for near-daily rape of his child