A Tarrant County jury has handed 62-year-old Jimmy Ray Horton two life sentences after convicting him of aggravated sexual assault of a 4-year-old child, according to the Tarrant County Criminal District Attorney’s Office. Prosecutors said investigators recovered child sexual-abuse material on devices tied to Horton, and that the child disclosed the abuse to her mother in July 2024. In announcing the result today, the DA’s office publicly praised the Grand Prairie Police Department for helping bring the case to court.
As shared by the Tarrant County DA's Office, Horton was convicted of aggravated sexual assault of a child and sentenced to two life terms. The office also said investigators seized devices from Horton and located child sexual-abuse material, and that the victim, described as 4 years old, made an outcry to her mother in July 2024. The brief social media post included a photograph and a single-line message thanking Grand Prairie officers for their work.
Thanks to the Grand Prairie Police Department for their work on this case and their commitment to keeping our community safe. pic.twitter.com/na3NXwuYFA
— Tarrant County DA (@TarrantCountyDA) May 7, 2026
The Grand Prairie Police Department’s Criminal Investigations Bureau, according to the department’s public information pages, handles complex child-abuse and digital-evidence cases and assisted with this investigation. The bureau’s online directory lists units that collect forensic and digital evidence in sex-crime cases and work directly with county prosecutors on more involved matters.
Prosecutors credited Investigator Brent Ezelle for work on the case and listed Assistant District Attorneys Olivia Stoner and Sydney Brock as the trial team. The DA’s post also named victim advocate Laura Medina as supporting the child’s family. Court filings and more detailed records were not released with the social media statement, so additional investigative specifics remain limited to what the office has publicly shared.
Legal Penalties and Next Steps
Aggravated sexual assault is a first-degree felony in Texas and can carry a punishment of five to 99 years or life in prison, with special sentencing provisions that apply in cases involving very young victims. See Texas Penal Code §22.021 for statutory details and sentencing ranges.
Victim Support and Local Resources
The DA’s office listed a victim advocate on the case, and Tarrant County maintains a victim-assistance unit that can help families with counseling, protective orders, and navigating court processes. For local contact information and services, see Tarrant County DA victim services and the statewide Texas Sex Offender Registration Program.
