Salem man gets 35 years in prison for rape
A Salem man was sentenced to 35 years and 10 months in prison Friday after a Marion County jury convicted him of raping two women and of witness tampering.
Cory Dennison, 32, was convicted of two counts of rape, two counts of unlawful sexual penetration, sodomy, attempted sodomy and witness tampering following a five-day trial.
According to court records, Dennison raped and sexually assaulted two women in 2013 and 2014. A warrant was issued for his arrest in February 2015, and he was arrested by U.S. Marshals in Salt Lake City one month later. They were alerted to his presence after he attempted to apply for a job at Walmart.
Earlier this year, Dennison was also charged with witness tampering after he allegedly plotted for a cellmate to testify on his behalf and provide him with a defense. According to court records, Dennison conspired with his cellmate at the Marion County jail. Dennison also told his cellmate that he traveled from Oregon to Utah in order to avoid charges, telling him that he was "hoping that things would just blow over."
Salem man faces witness tampering charge
In a sentencing memorandum, Dennison's attorney, Vada Salinas, argued for a 16-year sentence.
"Twenty-five years is far greater than is needed to protect (the victims) and society from any further harm Mr. Dennison might do," Salinas wrote.
First-degree rape, first-degree sodomy and first-degree unlawful sexual penetration are all Measure 11 offenses requiring mandatory minimum sentences of eight years and four months each.
In addition to Marion County Circuit Court Judge Claudia Burton sentencing Dennison to almost 36 years in prison, he is also required to register as a sex offender upon his release.
Email wmwoodwort@statesmanjournal.com, call 503-399-6884 or follow on Twitter @wmwoodworth