BEAUMONT, Texas — A 62-year-old Beaumont man found guilty Wednesday of sexually assaulting a teenaged girl has been sentenced to 25 years in prison.
Earl Guillory, 62, of Beaumont, must also register as a sex offender in addition to his 25-year prison sentence.
Before the sentencing phase of his trial began Thursday morning the prosecution filed a motion for enhancement of his sentence due to a prior felony theft conviction.
Guillory then agreed to change his original not guilty plea on the 2nd degree felony charge of sexual assault of a child that he was found guilty for at trial this week.
He then agreed to plead guilty to a 1st degree felony in the case Thursday morning to avoid a potentially much longer sentence. As part of an agreement he would then only face the minimum sentence of 25 years on the 1st degree charge.
Though Guillory had faced up to 20 years on the original 2nd degree charge, he could have faced from five to 99 years, or life in prison due to the punishment enhancements.
He also waived his right to appeal as part of Thursday's plea agreement.
Guillory will be eligible for parole after serving at least half of his 25 year sentence.
The trial begin Tuesday before Judge Raquel West in Jefferson County's 252nd District Court.
Closing arguments wrapped up around 4:35 p.m. Wednesday and the jury found Guillory guilty around 5:15 p.m.
In March of 2018 a 14-year-old Beaumont girl told Beaumont Police she was awakened around 1 a.m. by Guillory touching her in an inappropriate and sexual manner according to a probable cause affidavit.
Once she was awakened Guillory, who is related to her, she ran and hid behind a couch in the back living room of the home where the assault happened she told police.
Immediately afterward she woke up her older brother and told him what had happened according to the affidavit. She and her brother then awoke her mother.
Police were called and a report was made the same day.
Guillory was indicted on the charge in July 2020.
This is a developing story. We will update with more if and when we receive more confirmed information.
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