Texas man sentenced to life in prison after sexually assaulting, impregnating child
A Texas man is facing life in prison after he repeatedly sexually assaulted a girl and impregnated her over a decade ago.
The Ellis County District Attorney's Office said that 57-year-old Wilbert James Jones, Jr. was sentenced to life in prison for three counts of sexual assault of a child.
In 2011, Jones had recently been released from prison for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon when he met a 15-year-old girl at a party.
Police said that he groomed the minor and repeatedly sexually assaulted her.
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Authorities say that during the grooming process, Jones made sexualized comments to her, saying, "I like your shape," and "when will you let [me] have you" while he touched her.
The Ellis County District Attorney's office said that the young girl went to the school's nurse at the beginning of the school year in 2012, complaining about her stomach hurting.
Her family took her to the doctor, and they learned she was pregnant.
Police say that Jones continued sexually assaulting the victim while she was six months pregnant.
The baby was born in 2012.
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Years later, in 2020, family members of the victim reported the assault to the authorities.
"It took courage for a family member to come forward and speak the truth and support the child victim; she opened the door that the child victim walked through on her journey to justice", Ellis County District Attorney Ann Montgomery said in a press release.
Investigators say that Jones admitted to some sexual contact, but not intercourse. However, DNA found that Jones was the father of the baby.
A jury found Jones guilty of three counts of sexual assault of a child. According to FOX 4, the jury enhanced each sentence to life in prison when they considered his previous aggravated assault with a deadly weapon charge.
According to online records, Jones is currently booked in the Wayne McCollum Detention Center in Ellis.