Ice cream man guilty of child sex abuse
By Tommy Witherspoon Tribune-Herald staff writer
An ice cream truck vendor faces up to two consecutive life sentences plus 20 years after his conviction Thursday for sexually abusing a 4-year-old girl.
Jurors in 19th State District Court took about 20 minutes Thursday to convict Karl Mayer on two counts of aggravated sexual assault of a child and one count of indecency with a child.
Jurors deliberated about two hours without reaching a punishment verdict before recessing for the night about 6 p.m. Deliberations will resume at 8:30 this morning.
Jurors in 19th State District Court took about 20 minutes Thursday to convict Karl Mayer on two counts of aggravated sexual assault of a child and one count of indecency with a child.
The 29-year-old Bellmead man was arrested in June 2009 on the child sexual assault charges while driving an ice cream truck through the streets of Bellmead.
The incidents with the girl occurred between November 2008 and January 2009, testimony from the three-day trial revealed.
Judge Ralph Strother can stack the three sentences consecutively, if the jury ultimately decides on punishment recommendations.
Mayer also has charges pending that allege he sexually assaulted a 5-year-old boy and a 10-year-old girl, who, like the 4-year-old victim, are relatives.
Prosecutors Lytza Rojas and Edward Vallejo dismissed one count of aggravated sexual assault of a child during the trial after the child testified but was unable to recount the alleged incident in front of the jury.
Rojas told jurors in punishment-phase summations that Mayer has earned the maximum sentence.
“This man is deserving of the most severe sentence because he stole her innocence,” Rojas said. “Anytime she thinks about her sexual experiences in the future, she will see his face. This will affect her for the rest of her life.”
twitherspoon@wacotrib.com
757-5737
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