Man gets 25 years for sexual abuse of child
Press release
On Wednesday, March 24, Jerry Neal Finnell, 40, pleaded guilty to one count of Continuous Sexual Abuse of Young Child and was sentenced to serve 25 years confinement in the Texas Department of Corrections by Judge Scott McKee of the 392nd Judicial District Court.
Finnell will be required to serve this sentence day-for-day, with no eligibility for parole. Additionally, Finnell will be required to register as a sex offender for the remainder of his lifetime and be subject to a lifetime protective order, which protects the victim in this case.
On June 18, 2020, Finnell was indicted for sexually assaulting a child for a period of more than 30 days from the time the child was 12 years old until the child was 13 years old. The Henderson County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case.
Representing the State of Texas was Henderson County District Attorney Jenny Palmer and Assistant District Attorney Samantha Pace. Palmer took office in January and has devoted special attention to cases involving child victims. Palmer has dedicated an attorney in her office to solely prosecute crimes against children, which is a first in the history of the Henderson County District Attorney’s office. Palmer believes these cases are of particular importance, as they involve the youth of the community and dramatically affect how those children see the world.
“I am very proud of the hard work put in by all involved in ensuring that this victim and the victim’s family receive justice," Palmer said. "Protecting our children from child abusers is a priority of this office. We will continue to work hard to see that all victims have a voice and that offenders of these heinous crimes are punished appropriately.”
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