A Parker County jury yesterday convicted a Fort Worth man of sexually assaulting a 6-year-old in 2013, and a district judge responded by ordering two life sentences to run back-to-back. Prosecutors said the case was set in motion by a school report and a forensic interview that later revealed abuse dating back years.
Jurors needed only about 30 minutes to find Corky Gene House, who has also gone by Corky Casey, guilty of two counts of aggravated sexual assault, according to CBS News. Prosecutors said House was living in the child’s family garage when he molested the victim. Earlier assaults surfaced during a forensic interview, after the child first disclosed more recent abuse by a different person. Parker County District Attorney Jeff Swain credited the coordinated response by Weatherford ISD staff, Weatherford police and the local Children’s Advocacy Center, saying it showed how the county works to support victims who come forward.
Judge orders stacked life terms
District Judge Craig Towson sentenced House to two life terms, plus a $10,000 fine on each count, and ordered the sentences to be served one after the other rather than at the same time. Towson said that stack of time would likely keep House in prison until at least age 97. “Some people bring sunshine, some bring a storm,” the judge said from the bench, adding, “You, sir, were the storm that destroyed an innocent child’s life,” as reported by CBS News. The Parker County courts directory lists Towson as the judge of the 43rd District Court in Weatherford, where the case was heard, and the court’s directory is available online.
What the penalties mean
Under Texas law, aggravated sexual assault is a first-degree felony. The punishment range is life or a term of up to 99 years in prison, and a judge can add a fine of as much as $10,000. That range is laid out in Texas Penal Code § 12.32, which authorizes confinement and fines not to exceed $10,000 for first-degree felonies, according to Justia. Because Towson ordered the sentences to run consecutively rather than concurrently, the practical amount of prison time is far longer than if they had been served at the same time.
Forensic interviews and local response
Prosecutors pointed to the role of a Weatherford ISD teacher and a coordinated, multidisciplinary response in helping the child disclose what had happened and in advancing the investigation. Forensic interviews at accredited Children’s Advocacy Centers are set up so a child gives their account one time to a trained interviewer, and that recording, along with the interviewer’s findings, is then shared with law enforcement and prosecutors. The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention explains that this team-based approach, with schools, police and advocacy centers working together, can make it easier for children to report abuse and can strengthen cases brought to court.
