East Earl Man Jailed Decades for ‘Offensive and Evil’ Acts of Child Abuse

An East Earl man will serve at least 38 years in prison for years of sexual abuse of four pre-teenage girls, abuse which has inflicted permanent trauma on the victims who are now struggling with instinctual sexually deviate behaviors.

David S. Smucker, 75, declined to say anything about the crimes or issue an apology to the victims, as Lancaster County Judge Dennis Reinaker sentenced him to 38 to 76 years in prison.

Judge Reinaker acknowledged the number of years in the sentence is somewhat symbolic, considering Smucker’s age, but said he had to consider Smucker’s “evil” behavior.

Assistant District Attorney Fritz Haverstick said Smucker has not shown any remorse since the abuse was disclosed, and the prosecutor accurately predicted Smucker would not change that course at Friday’s sentencing hearing.

“I think he’s a coward. I don’t think he has a shred of remorse,” ADA Haverstick said in court. “He used (the girls) as sex toys. They existed for his sexual gratification.”

Smucker previously pleaded no contest to 20 felony charges, including rape of a child.

ADA Haverstick called a caseworker with Lancaster County Children & Youth Services to provide stirring testimony of her interactions with the four victims.

The victims have acted out sexually with relatives, classmates, and customers at a farm where they previously worked. That prompted social services to separate the victims from their families and peers and place them in separate homes where alarms are installed on their bedroom doors and windows.

“They don’t want to be doing this,” Caseworker Lauren Grimm testified, “but it’s almost instinct for them.

“They don’t know how to stop.”

ADA Haverstick said there is no telling how many individuals will be impacted by Smucker’s “depraved” behavior – the caseworker said there are likely too many effected persons to count.

Judge Reinaker said he has had many sexual abuse cases involving a defendant from the Amish faith.

“You are the first who has refused” to take responsibility, Judge Reinaker said.

An admission or showing of remorse, Judge Reinaker said, can assist victims in the healing process.

“Your refusal… has deprived them of even that small measure of healing,” the judge said.

Pennsylvania State Police Trooper Nelson Renno filed charges.