A jury in the 117th District Court of Nueces County, Texas, has sentenced Lowell Williams to a total of 55 years in prison for multiple offenses related to child sexual abuse. The sentence includes 40 years for Continuous Sexual Abuse of a Young Child and an additional 15 years for Sexual Assault of a Child, which will be served consecutively. Williams was also found guilty on four counts of Sexual Assault and three counts of Prohibited Sexual Conduct.
The case came to light in February 2021 when the victim, then 18 years old, reported that her stepfather had been sexually assaulting her over a period exceeding ten years. During the trial, she recounted more than 20 instances of sexual assault by Williams. Detective Pete Ybarra and experts from the Department of Public Safety Crime Lab provided testimony regarding the investigation and evidence collected from Williams' home. Expert witnesses Holly Felts and Penny Green discussed the dynamics of child abuse and its psychological impact.
Assistant Attorneys General Elizabeth Mireles and Erika Hime prosecuted the case at the request of Nueces County District Attorney James Granberry. Attorney General Ken Paxton praised the efforts of the Corpus Christi Police Department and acknowledged the decision made by Nueces County jurors: "Attorney General Paxton commends the Corpus Christi Police Department for their work and the jurors of Nueces County who sent a strong message that crimes against children will not be tolerated in Texas."