Jury selected in case of 39-year-old accused of repeatedly abusing girl
NEW BOSTON, Texas—A jury of nine women and three men was selected Tuesday to decide the case of a man accused of the repeated sexual abuse of a young girl.
Tonny Obray Ezernack III, 39, is charged with the continuous sexual abuse of a child under 14. The girl Ezernack allegedly abused was 10 and 11 at the time. Ezernack is facing 25 to 99 years or life in prison if convicted.
Ezernack was arrested in November 2017 after the girl’s mother confronted him about text messages on the girl’s phone which led her to believe her daughter had engaged in sexual conduct with him, according to a probable-cause affidavit used to create the following account. Ezernack told Investigator Johnny Millwood of the New Boston, Texas, Police Department that he was among five adults who shared a house in the 100 block of Peggy Street where five children under age 14 lived as well.
Ezernack allegedly admitted to Millwood that he began engaging in sexual conduct with the girl in July 2017 and that he regularly had sex with her until Nov. 1, 2017. Ezernack allegedly estimated the number of sexual encounters between himself and the girl to be 50 to 60. Ezernack allegedly said most of the contact occurred in his bedroom.
Ezernack is represented by Texarkana lawyer Butch Dunbar, and 202nd District Judge John Tidwell is presiding over the trial. First Assistant District Attorney Michael Shepherd and Assistant District Attorney Katie Carter are prosecuting. Ezernack is currently held in the Bowie County jail.