A 39-year-old man from the Fort Worth area has been sentenced to 30 years in prison after pleading guilty to continuously sexually abusing a child under 14, prosecutors said. The criminal case began when a family member went to the White Settlement Police Department on Dec. 28, 2024, after three girls told her they had been abused.
According to the Tarrant County DA, the defendant is Jonathan Reyes Parra. The office reported that Reyes Parra pleaded guilty to the continuous sexual abuse charge and received a 30-year prison sentence. In its post, the DA's office publicly thanked the White Settlement Police Department "for their work on this case and for their commitment to keeping our community safe."
Sentence And What The Law Allows
The offense Reyes Parra admitted to, continuous sexual abuse of a young child, is prosecuted under Texas law as a serious felony. Under Texas Penal Code §21.02, as summarized by FindLaw, continuous sexual abuse of a young child is a first-degree felony punishable by 25 to 99 years or life in prison. The 30-year term imposed here falls within that statutory range.
How Prosecutors Say The Case Unfolded
Prosecutors say the case came to light when a family member reported allegations to police on Dec. 28, 2024, after three children disclosed years-long abuse. The Tarrant County DA credited investigator Matt Hardy, Assistant District Attorneys Alec Trono and Victoria Lydahl, and victim coordinator Imelda Lopez with bringing the prosecution to a resolution.
Local Response And Victim Support
The White Settlement Police Department has highlighted its role in multi-agency work targeting child exploitation, echoing the kind of cooperation prosecutors pointed to in this case. The White Settlement Police Department and the DA's victim services unit maintain resources for families navigating prosecutions; those looking for help can find contact information and advocates through Tarrant County Victim Services.
The 30-year sentence closes this particular prosecution but underscores the long road many child abuse cases travel from first disclosure to conviction, with prosecutors, police, and victim advocates all playing a role in securing accountability for the children involved.
