A 39-year-old man who prosecutors say sexually abused the same young child in both Florida and the Houston area has been sentenced to 25 years in a Texas prison, closing one chapter of a case that stretched across state lines.
The Fort Bend County District Attorney's Office said Jason Alfred Sanderson pleaded guilty to continuous sexual abuse of a young child after the victim disclosed the abuse to a trusted adult. Investigators say the abuse began in Florida in 2022 and continued into 2023 in the Katy and Richmond area of Fort Bend County. Prosecutors added that Sanderson is expected to face additional criminal charges in Florida.
Prosecutors Say the Abuse Crossed State Lines
According to Click2Houston, the Fort Bend County Sheriff's Office and the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office in Florida jointly investigated the case. During interviews in the investigation, authorities said Sanderson admitted to abusing the child in both jurisdictions.
The Fort Bend County District Attorney's Office described Sanderson as a 39-year-old immigrant from Dominica and reiterated that the case began with the child's disclosure to a trusted adult. Prosecutors told Click2Houston that under Texas law his 25-year sentence will be served day-for-day, and they expect Sanderson to be about 65 years old when the term ends.
What the Statute Says
Under Texas law, continuous sexual abuse of a young child is a first-degree felony punishable by 25 to 99 years or life in prison, with limited paths to parole, according to Justia. The statute is written to cover repeated acts over a period of time when abuse stretches across months or years.
That legal framework helps explain why the Fort Bend County District Attorney's Office characterized the 25-year term as a significant outcome for both the victim and the wider community, even though it is the minimum sentence allowed under the statute.
Prosecutors on Protecting the Child
"Children inherently trust the adults in their lives to protect them from harm. Jason Sanderson violated and weaponized that trust. It is my hope that the sentence gives strength and power to this family and the young child," prosecutors said in comments reported by Click2Houston.
The DA's office told the outlet it pursued a plea agreement in part to avoid putting the child survivor through the ordeal of a public trial, saying the combination of the guilty plea and lengthy sentence allowed the victim to be spared additional trauma. Prosecutor Elizabeth Howard added that, under the terms of the plea, Sanderson will be about 65 years old when his sentence expires.
What Comes Next
Fort Bend officials said the case remains open to Florida authorities and that Sanderson could face charges there after serving his Texas sentence. Prosecutors credited multi-agency cooperation between investigators in Fort Bend County and Hillsborough County with helping them build the case.
Local officials also noted that child-advocacy resources are available to support the family. They urged anyone with additional information to contact the Fort Bend County Sheriff's Office or the Fort Bend County District Attorney's Office.
