KARNES CITY – A 44-year-old man convicted last month on three counts of aggravated sexual assault of a child is now sentenced to spend the rest of his life in prison.
District Judge Russell Wilson of 218th Judicial slapped Ignacio Salas with three consecutive 40-year sentences. Because the sentences are consecutive, Salas was essentially given a 120-year prison sentence.
“It’s the only way you can keep him from hurting another child,” said District Attorney Audrey Louis of the 81st Judicial District, who prosecuted the case with Assistant District Attorney Raneca Henson.
Salas already has filed an appeal, Louis said.
His victim, who is his biological daughter, is now 17. She was 9 when the abuse started and was 11 when her outcry was made, Louis said.
However, Louis said the previous district attorney’s administration took no action on the case. Salas was not indicted until December 2017.
“The system failed her,” Louis said.
Even worse, the district attorney added, the victim’s family has sided with her attacker, maintaining that she fabricated her story.
“Her entire family testified against her,” Louis said. “What child would want to go through six years of foster care for something they made up?”
The victim since was able to graduate early from high school and wants to work as a phlebotomist so that she might support her 3-year-old son.
Courtesy of Karnes Countywide
