A Tarrant County arrest listing names Cyrus Shehniyilagh and lists charges of continuous sexual abuse of a child younger than 14 and indecency with a child by sexual contact.
A post from the Tarrant County DA thanked Arlington police.
The post is dated October 22, 2026.
Years of Abuse Detailed for the Jury
According to the case summary, the abuse of the child relative occurred repeatedly over roughly eight years, beginning when the victim was 5 and continuing until age 13. The summary does not detail the specific family relationship between Shehniyilagh and the victim beyond describing them as a family member, and that detail was not elaborated on further in the materials released by the DA's office.
Texas Penal Code Section 21.02 addresses continuous sexual abuse of a young child, including two or more acts against a child younger than 14, according to Texas Penal Code Section 21.02. The arrest listing also includes a charge of indecency with a child by sexual contact.
Prosecution Team and Case Credits
The Tarrant County DA's office said Phil Sorrells' office works to enforce the law in an ethical, honest and just manner while protecting public safety through vigorous enforcement of criminal and civil laws.
The arrest listing is dated October 20, while a Tarrant County DA post thanking Arlington police is dated October 22, 2026.
What Comes Next
The 40-year sentence was announced through the DA's case summary rather than an independently verified court record, and no information on an appeal has been made public. Anyone looking to confirm docket details can search Tarrant County's own online court records through the Tarrant County Clerk's office, while the Tarrant County Criminal District Attorney's Office also publishes a running list of trials moving through its courts.
