Man gets 85 years for sexual misconduct
A Cass County, Texas, man received a total 85-year sentence last month for sexual misconduct with a 13-year-old girl.
Jarrod Michael Tayl o r, 32, was found gu i lty Nov. 8 by a jury of a single count of sexual assault of a child, two counts of indecency with a child and six counts of online solicitation of a minor. The following day, 5th District Judge Bill Miller sentenced Taylor to 20 years for sexual assault and 20 years on each of the two indecency charges with all three terms to run consecutively.
Miller sentenced Taylor to 15-year terms for three of the online solicitation cases to run concurrently to each other but consecutive to the final indecency term. Concurrent tenyear terms were ordered for three of the solicitation cases but ordered to run consecutively to the 15-year term. In total,
Taylor received 85 years.
Taylor sent the girl a number of sexually graphic photos and videos via cell phone. While the girl was visiting at a friend’s home in Bivins, Texas, in March, Taylor sexually assaulted her, according to a probable cause affidavit used to create the following account. The girl’s mother made a report March 23 to the Cass County Sheriff’s Office after finding multiple photos on her daughter’s phone of Taylor exposing himself.
On May 24, the girl was interviewed at the Children’s Advocacy Center in Texarkana, Texas. She told a forensic interviewer she is acquainted with Taylor because he is related to one of her friends. The victim said Taylor began sending her messages via Instagram in February and then text messages after he asked for her phone number. After receiving the mother’s permission to search the girl’s phone, investigators recovered multiple, sexually graphic photos and videos Taylor sent to the teen.
Taylor convinced the girl to walk with him into a wooded area while she was visiting the friend March 14. Taylor allegedly touched the girl in various ways and forced her to touch him.
Cass County Assistant District Attorney Kimberly Smith Morris said the case should serve as a warning to parents and emphasized the importance of monitoring the use of cell phone and internet usage of minors.
“We have to stay hypervigilant and on top of everything our children do on their phones, tablets and computers,” Morris said. “The jury sent a message and the judge sent a message. We protect our children. If you go after children in Cass County, we don’t play.”