Former Telford guard pleads not guilty in sex abuse case

A former Texas Department of Criminal Justice correctional officer pleaded not guilty Tuesday afternoon to child sex abuse charges in a Texarkana courtroom.

Michael Avis, 31, appeared before 102nd District Judge Bobby Lockhart for arraignment with Bowie County First Assistant Public Defender Will Williams in a first-floor courtroom of the Bi-State Justice Building. Avis is facing three counts of indecency with a child by sexual contact involving a 10-year-old girl.

Assistant District Attorney Kelley Crisp said the state opposes a motion for a reduction in Avis’ bail recently filed by Chief Public Defender Rick Shumaker which asks that bail be lowered to $25,000. Lockhart scheduled the matter for a hearing later this month.

Possible punishment was discussed at Tuesday’s hearing as well. Avis faces two to 20 years and a $10,000 fine on each count. In the event Avis is convicted of all three pending counts, the court has the option of stacking the sentences, meaning Avis is facing

the possibility of a total 60-year term.

“Your honor, the state has made an offer of 20 years on each count to run concurrently but if we go to a jury we’ll be asking to cumulate those,” Crisp said.

Crisp said the state’s current plea offer will be rescinded if Avis elects to take the case to trial.

Avis is accused of touching a 10-year-old female relative, according to a probable cause affidavit used to create the following account. The alleged victim told a forensic interviewer at the Children’s Advocacy Center in Texarkana that Avis was watching her while her mother shopped for Christmas presents on Christmas Eve. The girl said Avis touched her that day and on previous occasions as well.

Avis resigned his position at the Barry Telford Unit in New Boston, Texas, amid the investigation into the child abuse allegations. According to TDCJ, Avis began working at the prison in May 2014. llarowe@texarkanagazette.com