Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has successfully prosecuted Benjamin Earlie Thornton, a 67-year-old man from Lexington, for child sexual abuse. Thornton received two consecutive life sentences plus an additional 20 years in prison and a $10,000 fine.
A jury in Lee County found Thornton guilty on two counts of aggravated sexual assault of a child and one count of indecency with a child by contact. The decisions came swiftly, with the jury reaching a verdict within about ten minutes.
Ken Paxton stated, "This monster committed heinous acts against a child and will spend the rest of his life behind bars. Prosecuting predators who abuse kids will always be a top priority. I’m proud of our team of prosecutors and investigators who worked to put this criminal away."
The court heard that Thornton had sexually abused a 4-year-old family member in 2021. Testimonies were given by family members, a forensic interviewer, a sexual assault nurse examiner, and the Lee County case investigator, supporting the charges against Thornton. During the punishment phase, six additional witnesses testified about Thornton's past inappropriate conduct, which included aggravated sexual assault, sexual harassment, and indecent assault.
The Texas Attorney General’s Office and the Lee County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case. Prosecutors from the Office of the Attorney General, Brenda Cantu and Wesley Mau, handled the prosecution. Sgts. Brian Seales, Mark Wilson, and Victoria McMain conducted investigations on behalf of the Texas Attorney General’s Office. Additionally, the Office of the Attorney General acted as District Attorney Pro Tem for Lee County.