A San Jacinto County jury on Nov. 2 found Jeremy Steven Clary guilty of Sexual Assault of a Child. First Assistant District Attorney Rob Freyer and Criminal District Attorney Todd Dillon prosecuted this case in the 411th District Court of San Jacinto County, Judge John Wells III, presiding.
Clary was found guilty Thursday of sexually assaulting a child in May 2021 in Shepherd, Texas. The investigation began after a report was made to deputies in Pettis County, Missouri, regarding the sexual abuse of two young boys related to Clary. After a preliminary investigation, the matter was then reported to deputies with the San Jacinto County Sheriff’s Office.
Lead investigator Deputy Omar Sheik was able to recover images on phones in the defendant’s possession that corroborated the stories of both victims. Further corroboration of the victim’s accounts were found in medical records and Missouri Department Of Social Services records.
A jury listened to two days of testimony and evidence before deliberating on a verdict. After two and a half hours, the jury found Clary guilty of the offense of Sexual Assault of a Child.
The judge heard the evidence and gave Clary a life sentence.
Retired Detective Mike Messinger, who was lead detective on a previous case, traveled from Washington state to describe Clary’s previous conviction. In that case, Clary pleaded guilty to the offense of Indecency with a Child in 2004. He was initially given deferred adjudication for that case and he violated his probation and ultimately served eight years of a 12-year sentence in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. In compliance with the Texas Penal Code, Judge Wells sentenced Clary to life incarceration in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice.
After he was released, he victimized an 8-year-old boy and an 11-year-old boy on two separate occasions. They were visiting their grandmother, who happened to be the common-law life of Clary.
Criminal District Attorney Todd Dillon and 1st Assistant Rob Freyer would like to thank the dedicated professionals of the Pettis County Sheriff’s Office, San Jacinto County Sheriff’s Office, the Missouri Department of Social Services, as well as forensic interviewers and victim’s assistance professionals who fought valiantly to see justice done.
“Even though these professionals performed above and beyond their duties, the true heroes of this story were two young boys who faced down their abuser in an open courtroom,” said Dillon.
According to statistics provided by by the Children’s Advocacy Center of Texas, over 45,000 children received services related to sexual assault in Texas in 2022. Of these cases, 98 percent knew their perpetrator.
Dillon further said, “This verdict reinforces the fact that the people of San Jacinto County will protect their children and severely punish anyone who preys upon the future of our county.”
Lord, Jesus please don’t allow the enemy to destroy the mind, And the character of these little boys, help them to fully recover from this evil attack, thank you, Lord that they do not have to fear that evil man and his perverted mind anymore.