This story was published by the Valley News on Oct. 18.
WHITE RIVER JUNCTION — A 47-year-old Hartford woman who has served more than six years in jail for sexual assault appeared in court on Wednesday for an arraignment on an allegation that she has violated her probation.
As part of her conditions when she was sentenced in March 2016, Lucinda Smith was ordered to complete sex offender treatment while in prison, a program that falls under the state Department of Corrections Probation and Parole Office.
However, Hartford Probation and Parole officer Jeff Percy said Smith denies sexually assaulting anyone, something that makes her unfit for the sex offender treatment program, according to an affidavit filed in Windsor Superior Court.
“She wasn’t actually sure if any of it occurred and that she believed she didn’t do anything wrong and that all information said by her victims (were) fed to them by police,” Percy wrote.
The program takes about a year to complete and Smith is slated to be released as early as July. By not completing the program, she is violating a condition that mandates she do so during the course of her incarceration, court documents state.
The program “teaches offenders how to accept, understand, modify and maintain permanent changes in behavior relating to illegal sexual behavior,” according to the state’s website.
Assistant Windsor County Attorney Glenn Barnes said he couldn’t comment on what would happen if Smith doesn’t complete the program.
Smith denied the violation through her public defender Audrey Sandner on Wednesday, and Judge Timothy Tomasi ordered her held without bail. She has a hearing on the matter scheduled for next month.
Smith and her husband, Steven Smith, pleaded guilty, first in 2013 and again in 2015, to sexually assaulting juveniles who were known to them. A Supreme Court ruling allowed them to withdraw their first pleas.
Judge Theresa DiMauro sentenced Steven Smith to 20 years to life in prison, all suspended except for eight years to serve. She handed Lucinda Smith a similar sentence, but with seven years to serve. Steven Smith could be eligible for release as soon as 2020.