WACO, Texas — 44-year-old Jeremy Strickland has been sentenced to 60 years in prison after a jury found him guilty of continuous sexual abuse of a child under 14.
It took the jury three hours of deliberation before a conviction was delivered, and one hour to decide the punishment.
According to an announcement from the McLennan County District Attorney's Office, Strickland's charge stemmed from a continuous pattern of sexual abuse on a child he was related to, which spanned over an approximate period between 2013 to 2021.
The DA's office said the victim notified authorities via text in 2021 which prompted Bellmead Police and Child Protective Services to launch an investigation. The case led to McLennan County prosecutors indicting Strickland in 2022. Assistant District Attorneys Maddie Beach and Jessica Washington prosecuted the case.
Authorities at the trial of Strickland said the victim's testimony described multiple instances of sexual abuse throughout their childhood at several locations.
Expert witnesses at the trial provided explanations as to why child victims rarely provide immediate disclosure of their abuse. The DA's office also said prosecutors presented expert medical testimony on how child sexual abuse rarely results in injuries nor does it leave physical evidence.
Strickland's prior criminal history was also presented as evidence by prosecutors during his trial, noting his convictions for arson, attempted vehicle burglary and financial instrument forgery.
Texas law does not allow parole for the crime of Continuous Sexual Abuse of a Child. Therefore, the DA's office said Strickland must serve his entire 60-year sentence.
