CANYON, Texas (KVII) — A Randall County judge sentenced an Amarillo man to life in prison after a jury convicted him of continuous sexual abuse of a young child.
A jury found John Jacob Wilson guilty on Thursday after deliberating for 31 minutes.
Prosecutors said the case began in 2022, when the victim told a school counselor that Wilson had sexually abused her. The counselor reported the disclosure, and detectives with the Amarillo Police Department’s Special Victims Unit investigated.
The victim and her siblings were later interviewed at The Bridge Children’s Advocacy Center.
During the trial, the victim testified about the abuse and how her life changed after she disclosed it, prosecutors said.
The jury also heard evidence that the victim’s mother knew about the abuse, failed to report it and told the victim not to tell anyone. Prosecutors said the mother later forced the victim out of the home after she sought help.
The district attorney’s office said charges against the mother were accepted for prosecution but later declined by a grand jury.
Wilson chose to have the judge determine his punishment. After a brief punishment hearing, 47th District Judge Dee Johnson sentenced him to life in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice.
A person convicted of continuous sexual abuse of a young child in Texas is not eligible for parole.
The case had previously gone to trial in 2025, but that jury was unable to reach a unanimous verdict, resulting in a mistrial.
Prosecutors said they decided to retry the case after confirming the victim was willing to proceed with another trial.
