A Galveston County jury has convicted former Boy Scout leader Robert Griffin Alexander of aggravated sexual assault of a child, and a judge has sentenced him to 80 years in prison. Jurors returned their guilty verdict on May 14, and the sentence followed on May 15 in a Galveston County courtroom. Prosecutors said the abuse dated back to around 2000 and that later reports and reinvestigations brought forward more alleged victims.
Guilty Verdict And Long Sentence
The 80-year prison term means Alexander will not even be eligible for parole until he has served 30 years, according to the Austin American-Statesman. Jurors found him guilty of aggravated sexual assault of a child, and the judge imposed the sentence after a brief hearing. Prosecutors told the jury the case stretched back decades and that as the investigation moved forward, additional alleged victims stepped up.
Former Scout Leader And NASA Engineer
Alexander, a League City resident, worked as a NASA engineer and served as a Boy Scout leader, details prosecutors highlighted repeatedly at trial. The Houston Chronicle reported that prosecutors said an initial complaint eventually opened the door to uncovering other alleged victims.
Decades-Long Timeline And Related Cases
Prosecutors told jurors that one victim was about 12 years old in 2000 and that the alleged abuse linked to that period continued for roughly four years. A grand jury later indicted Alexander on aggravated sexual assault charges connected to that timeline. During the Galveston trial, seven men testified that Alexander had abused them when they were children, and prosecutors said three additional witnesses addressed the court at sentencing.
The Austin American-Statesman also reported that a separate allegation from about 2010 led to an indictment for indecency with a child by contact, and that prosecutors have pending charges in New Braunfels tied to two witnesses who testified in Galveston. At sentencing, one witness, Candice Freeman, told the court she was grateful to the jury for holding Alexander accountable.
