Editor: Shannon Cottongame
January 26, 2022
A Whitney man was sentenced to 50 years in prison last week after pleading guilty to aggravated sexual assault of a child.
A Hill County jury was selected in the district courtroom of the Hill County Courthouse Tuesday morning, January 18, in the case against defendant Jimmy Wayne Hughes.
District Attorney Mark Pratt said that jurors assembled to hear the presentation of the facts of the case Wednesday morning, but before opening statements began, the defendant got cold feet and pleaded guilty in exchange for a 50-year prison sentence.
Pratt reported that the victim and her family were pleased with the outcome, adding that he was proud of the manner in which the young lady and her family handled the entire process.
District Judge Lee Harris, who sat as judge in the matter, expressed his thanks to the jury, stating that the jury’s presence was necessary to bring the defendant to justice.
The case was prosecuted by First Assistant District Attorney Matt Boyle, who handled the voir dire, and Pratt.
Hughes was represented by attorney Phil Martinez of Waco.
The defendant, who is 61 years of age, will have to serve at least 25 years of his sentence in prison before he can be considered for the first time for parole.
The Lakelander 