(FORT BEND COUNTY) – A 63-year-old Houston man has been found guilty of two charges of indecency with a child and sentenced to life in prison on both charges after engaging in sexual conduct with a 13-year-old girl while she was having her hair washed at a Richmond hair salon.
Sergio David Chavarria was convicted on two charges of indecency with a child and acquitted of another by a Fort Bend County jury. Evidence admitted during the punishment phase of the trial showed that Chavarria had been previously prosecuted for sexual assault in 1998.
Evidence presented by prosecutors Craig Priesmeyer and Alycia Curtis with the Fort Bend County District Attorney’s Office showed that in October 2020, Chavarria engaged in sexual contact with a thirteen-year-old girl while he was washing her hair at a Richmond hair salon owned and operated by his wife.
According to lead prosecutor Priesmeyer, following the child’s haircut, the child told her mother she never wanted to go back to the salon. When asked why, the child disclosed the abuse. Minutes later, during the mother’s 911 call to the police, the child revealed Chavarria had previously molested her in February 2020 when she was just 12 years old. Richmond Police Detective Andrew Runge led the investigation against Chavarria, which resulted in the collection of vital DNA evidence and a swift arrest of the defendant.
During the trial, jurors listened as the young girl, now 16 years old, testified about what happened to her.
“She brought us back to the worst moment of her life, although she desperately wanted to forget what happened. That made it difficult for her to remember some of the abuse, but thanks to the defendant leaving behind his DNA, she didn’t need to,” said Priesmeyer.
During closing arguments, prosecutors acknowledged that what Chavarria did is every parent’s worst nightmare, and they praised the child for her courage in speaking up both in October 2020, and years later in the courtroom.
“There were many heroes involved in this pursuit of justice: law enforcement, Harris Health Systems, Child Advocates of Fort Bend, and the Texas DPS Crime Lab; but the biggest hero was the victim,” said Priesmeyer after the trial. “I have no doubt that her courage to speak up prevented this defendant from preying on other innocent children. The jury’s verdict and the judge’s sentence should be a message to anyone who preys on our children that we will not tolerate it.”
“This defendant was the ultimate predator – a person who repeatedly victimized others – and we’re grateful to everyone involved in this case who helped put him where he belongs so he never victimizes anyone again,” said Curtis.
“Our highest priority is the protection of our children – often the most vulnerable to crime,” said District attorney Brian Middleton. “The Fort Bend County District Attorney’s Office will stand in the gap and protect them from predators that seek to harm them. Mr. Chavarria’s punishment was just and proportionate to the harm that he caused.”
Indecency with a child by sexual contact is a second-degree felony, punishable by 2 to 20 years in prison and a fine up to $10,000. In this case, because Chavarria was previously convicted of sexual assault, he was subject to an automatic enhancement to imprisonment for life. Chavarria must serve 35 years in prison before being considered for parole.
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