Texas City man sentenced to 90 years for continuous sexual abuse of children
GALVESTON, Texas - A Galveston County jury has convicted a Texas City man of continuous sexual abuse of young children and sentenced him to 90 years in prison.
Galveston County jury convicts Texas City man in child sexual abuse case
What we know:
On Tuesday, jurors found Jesus Jose Pena Sr. guilty following a two-day trial in Galveston County. He faced a punishment range of 25 to 99 years or life in prison. The jury also assessed a $10,000 fine.
Jesus Jose Pena Sr. (Galveston County Jail)
According to the Galveston County Criminal District Attorney's Office, the case began in June 2025 when Texas City police responded to a residence after learning Pena had confessed to sexually abusing several children.
During the trial, Chief Assistant District Attorney Quinten McConico and Assistant District Attorney Brianna Stark presented testimony from four victims, now adults, who described years of abuse they endured throughout their childhood.
Prosecutors said the abuse spanned roughly 15 years. One victim testified Pena began abusing her when she was 4 years old. Another told jurors the abuse initially occurred monthly before escalating to weekly, and she was unable to estimate how many times she had been victimized.
After hearing two days of testimony, the jury deliberated for less than an hour before returning a guilty verdict.
During the punishment phase, Pena testified and described himself as "a monster," but also referred to the abuse as normal, according to prosecutors.
In closing arguments, McConico urged jurors to impose a lengthy sentence, telling them, "These girls do not need to look forward to the day the defendant gets out."
The jury sentenced Pena to 90 years in prison and a $10,000 fine. The district attorney's office noted that under Texas law, the offense is not eligible for parole.
What they're saying:
Following the verdict, McConico said, "These women deserve to close this chapter and begin healing, and the verdict returned by this jury is the beginning of that."
The Source: News release from Galveston County Criminal District Attorney Kenneth A. Cusick