A Mustang Ridge man will spend the rest of his life in prison after a Hays County jury convicted him on two counts of continuous sexual abuse of a child. James Shope, 46, was given two consecutive life sentences without the possibility of parole and also received the maximum 20-year sentence for indecency with a child by sexual contact. District Judge Joe Pool ordered the life terms to run back-to-back and told the courtroom, “We don't accept this in Hays County.”
Sentencing And Victims' Testimony
The case began in August 2023, when two children reported that Shope had sexually abused them from their kindergarten years through their pre-teen years. Jurors said they believed the victims' testimony and, as reported by CBS Austin, expressed sympathy for the girls as they took the stand. The panel ultimately returned guilty verdicts on all counts.
Investigation And Prosecution
The Hays County Sheriff's Office led the investigation, and the case was prosecuted by Assistant Criminal District Attorneys Cassidy Story and Abigail Whitaker. “Our duty is to seek justice, and this jury and judge delivered exactly that,” Story said, according to CBS Austin.
What Texas Law Means
Under Texas law, continuous sexual abuse of a young child or disabled individual is a first-degree felony punishable by life in prison or a term of 25 to 99 years, with special sentencing provisions that often result in lengthy prison terms. The statutory language is available on FindLaw. Indecency with a child by sexual contact is generally a second-degree felony, carrying a possible sentence of two to 20 years in prison; the statute can be read in Texas Public Law.
Aftermath
Because Judge Pool ordered the life sentences to run consecutively, Shope will not be eligible for parole and will serve the terms day for day. Prosecutors said the punishment reflects Hays County's stance on crimes against children and underscored that, in this courtroom, the jury’s verdict and the judge’s sentence were aligned in their message.
