A Fort Worth man will spend five decades in prison after a Tarrant County jury today found Donald Dalton guilty of continuous sexual abuse of a child, and a judge sentenced him to 50 years. Prosecutors said the victim was between six and eight years old when the abuse occurred and that she disclosed the assaults to a school counselor. In court, jurors heard testimony that Dalton had the child shower with him and that he also sexually abused the victim’s mother. The verdict and sentence were handed down at the Tarrant County criminal courthouse in Fort Worth.
The Tarrant County District Attorney’s Office summarized the verdict and sentencing in a public recap of the case, noting that jurors heard testimony that included the allegations described above and that a school counselor reported the child’s disclosure to police. The post names Imelda Lopez as the victim coordinator and lists assistant district attorneys Brittane Hamilton and Edward Tomlin and investigator Michael McGuire as part of the prosecution team. According to the DA, that post serves as the primary public account of the prosecution and the resulting 50-year sentence.
Legal details
The charge, continuous sexual abuse of a young child, is defined under Texas Penal Code Section 21.02, which is published on Justia. The statute applies when an adult commits two or more acts of sexual abuse against a victim younger than 14 over a period of 30 or more days. It is a first-degree felony punishable by life in prison or a term between 25 and 99 years, which explains why prosecutors were able to seek such a lengthy term in this case. The statute’s structure has made it a common tool for Texas prosecutors handling long-running child abuse cases.
How the case came to light
According to an online statement from prosecutors, the case began when the child confided in a school counselor. That counselor then contacted law enforcement, triggering the investigation that ultimately led to Dalton’s arrest and conviction. In the same post, the Tarrant County DA’s Office wrote, "Thanks to the Fort Worth Police Department for their work on this case and for their commitment to keeping our community safe." The statement also notes that victim services and coordination during the prosecution were handled within the DA’s office.
Victim services and next steps
The DA’s office identifies Imelda Lopez as the victim coordinator assigned to the case and credits investigators with helping develop the testimony presented to jurors. With a 50 year sentence now imposed, the criminal matter is resolved at the trial court level, although convicted defendants may pursue appeals through the Texas appellate system. According to the DA’s case summary, official court records and filings tied to the prosecution are available through Tarrant County’s court records system for anyone seeking the underlying documents.
