Charles Guy Scott got 60 years for abusing a child under 14. Prosecutors say he used threats, prayer and manipulation to silence her for years.
MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Texas — A Montgomery County man has been sentenced to six decades in prison after a jury found him guilty of repeatedly sexually abusing a child.
Prosecutors say 59-year-old Charles Guy Scott was convicted of continuous sexual abuse of a child under 14 after a trial in the 435th District Court in Conroe. Judge Patty Maginnis later sentenced him to 60 years in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, with no possibility of parole. The trial began Feb. 20, 2026, and the jury returned its guilty verdict on Feb. 27. Scott was sentenced on March 4.
According to the Montgomery County District Attorney’s Office, evidence at trial showed Scott sexually abused the victim over several years, when the child was between 11 and 13 years old. Prosecutors said he exploited the child’s vulnerability and used manipulation, threats and emotional control to keep the abuse hidden.
Testimony showed that when Scott believed others might learn of the abuse, he prayed with the victim and asked for the Lord’s forgiveness. According to the press release, he also warned the child that if the abuse were revealed, he would go to prison and the victim would lose the home and stability they depended on. Prosecutors argued those threats were designed to keep the child silent and protect Scott from being exposed.
The abuse eventually came to light after the victim confided in a friend while sharing deeply personal secrets, according to the release. That friend told a trusted adult, which led to a report to authorities and the involvement of Child Protective Services and investigators with the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office.
When CPS first responded, Scott had already told the victim to deny anything had happened, and the child initially did so. During a later forensic interview, the victim denied the abuse for more than an hour before finally disclosing the truth.
Jurors also heard testimony that Scott exposed the victim to pornography and sex toys and tried to frame the behavior as “educational.” In an interview with Detective Brannock Snellgrove of the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office, Scott admitted touching the victim’s genitals, claiming it happened while applying medication, and admitted to showing the child images of male genitalia online and discussing sexual topics while calling it instructional.
During closing arguments, prosecutors emphasized the betrayal the victim suffered and the courage it took to finally speak out. “For years, the defendant relied on threats, manipulation, and fear to keep a child silent,” Assistant District Attorney Tamara Tyler said. “But the moment the victim found the courage to speak the truth, his secret was over. This verdict shows that when a child finds their voice, the justice system will stand with them.”
The defense presented a DNA expert to question the forensic evidence and a psychological expert who challenged the victim’s credibility, and several character witnesses testified for Scott. After hearing all the testimony, jurors rejected those claims and found him guilty.
Assistant District Attorney Criss Cole said Scott used both faith and fear to conceal his crimes. “This defendant didn’t just pray with the victim — he preyed on her innocence and vulnerability,” Cole said. “He relied on threats and manipulation to keep his crimes hidden, but the jury saw through the lies and held him accountable.”
District Attorney Michael Holley said the case underscores the community’s stance against those who abuse children. “There is no way to make the sexual assault of a child more offensive than it already is, but the use of religion to manipulate a child is particularly odious,” Holley said. “Perhaps God will have mercy on this man at some point — that is His prerogative — but the people of this county will not.”
The case was investigated by the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office and prosecuted by Assistant District Attorneys Criss Cole and Tamara Tyler with the Montgomery County District Attorney’s Office. Scott was charged with continuous sexual abuse of a child under 14, a first-degree felony, and pleaded not guilty before he was convicted by the jury.
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