NEWS Staff Report
A manhunt ended in the weekend arrest of a San Benito man accused of sexual assault of a child.
Jesus Estaban Escobar, 39, was arrested Saturday afternoon, according to the Cameron County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO).
Last week, the CCSO issued a wanted alert for Escobar on charges of aggravated sexual assault of a child, a first-degree felony.
Escobar is currently booked at the Cameron County Carrizalez-Rucker Detention Center in Olmito. He appeared before a judge on Monday, who set Escobar’s bail at $100,000 for the child sexual abuse charge.
Last week, the CCSO issued an alert urging the public to be on the lookout for Escobar who was last seen shirtless in dark jogging pants with distinctive tattoos across his body, as well as vitiligo on his face and neck, according to reports.
In Texas, sexual assault of a child is a felony defined generally as sexual contact or penetration involving a person younger than 17 years old.
Under Texas law, penalties range from second-degree felony charges to life in prison, and the law mandates strict sentencing and lifetime sex offender registration.
Sexual Assault of a Child (Penal Code § 22.011) is considered any sexual penetration or contact with a child under 17, when the offender is not married to the child, and is a second-degree felony.
The perpetrator’s lack of knowledge of the child’s age is not a valid legal defense.
Aggravated Sexual Assault (Penal Code § 22.021) is elevated to a first-degree felony if factors such as the use of a weapon, serious bodily injury, or if the victim is under 14 years of age.
Continuous Sexual Abuse of a Young Child (Penal Code § 21.02) is defined when an offender 17 or older commits two or more acts of sexual abuse against a child under 14 within a 30-day period.
Indecency with a Child (Penal Code § 21.11) involves non-penetrative sexual contact with a child under 17 intended to arouse or gratify sexual desire.
Penalties and Sentencing
In Texas, a second-degree felony is punishable by two to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $10,000.
A first-degree felony is punishable by five to 99 years (or life) in prison and a fine of up to $10,000.
Conviction for continuous sexual abuse results in a mandatory minimum of 25 years to life imprisonment, with no possibility of parole in certain circumstances.
Jessica’s Law mandates increased penalties for aggravated offenses, including a minimum of 25 years to life when the victim is under age six.
All suspects are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.