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AUSTIN (KXAN) — On July 11, after a five-day trial, a jury in Burnet County convicted a man for sexually assaulting three female family members, according to a press release from the county’s district attorney.
Angel Escalante, 52, of Waco, was convicted on a charge of continuous sexual abuse of a young child. That charge is a first degree felony.
Burnet County District Attorney Perry Thomas said in the release that he’s proud of his prosecutors and those with the McLennan County DA’s office. The release said that McLennan County prosecutors were involved because Escalante had assaulted girls in both of the counties.
“I am very proud of the joint efforts of our office and the District Attorney’s Office of McLennan County for seeking the maximum sentence for someone who has abused children. I hope this sends a message that children who report abuse will be believed and their abusers held accountable,” said Thomas, according to the release.
The Burnet DA’s office said Escalante had assaulted three family members for nearly 14 years.
“Evidence at trial revealed that Escalante had abused three different family members beginning as far back as 2009,” the release said. “The molestation continued until 2023, when two of the three survivors reported the abuse to a family member, and then to law enforcement in Waco.”
District Court Judge Allan Garrett took the jury’s recommendation of a maximum sentence for Escalante: Life in prison without possibility of parole.
According to the release, Escalante was previously convicted for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, burglary of a habitation, and injury to a child.
The Burnet Police Department and Texas Child Protective Services assisted in the investigation, the release notes.