52 year-old Melvin Johnson has been sentenced to 50 years in prison by Judge John Brick, after facing a maximum possible sentence of life in prison.
The jury convicted Johnson on two counts of aggravated sexual assault of a child, after prosecutors also presented Johnson's criminal history of burglary, theft, and resisting arrest.
The case involved a 12-year old child that told her mother about Johnson's sexual abuse when she was eight and nine years old; Johnson was a friend of the family at the time.
After the mother reported the assault to the Bryan Police Department, detectives scheduled a forensic interview at Scotty’s House, Brazos County’s Children’s Advocacy Center in which the child presented details of the abuse that occurred.
She told detectives at the time, and testified in trial for prosecutors later on, that the abuse occurred over 40 times when she was in the third grade. Jurors heard the child describe the sexual assault in detail and heard from the forensic interviewer, mother, grandmother, and a medical professional from Scotty's House.
“A 9 year old child should never have to endure the abuse suffered in this case," said the prosecutors who presented this case on behalf of the State of Texas, Assistant District Attorneys Kara Comte and Ashley Martin. "This child’s courage in has ensured that no other children will suffer at this man’s hands.”
Prosecutors also said that, while awaiting trial in jail, Johnson also made threats to the judge and one of the prosecutors.
