A Lubbock man, formerly of Brownsville, was sentenced Tuesday to 10 years in prison in Cameron County.
Lewis Vega, 33, pleaded guilty to seven counts of aggravated assault of a child and four counts of indecency with a child by contact. The victims were between the ages of 7 and 14 according to a statement from the Cameron County District Attorney’s office.
Vega was a minor in Cameron County at the time. Prosecutors asked a judge to certify him as an adult. A statement from the CCDA described why it took from 2012 until now to get a conviction.
The statement mentioned three victims, but the CCDA is concerned there may be more than three. According to the CCDA, anyone in the Lubbock area who has been a victim of Vega should contact both local authorities as well as the CCDA at 956-544-0849. Ask for Brandy Bailey.
The following is a statement from the CCDA:
Victims’ Courage Nets Man 10 Years in Child Sexual Assault Case
Brownsville, TX.–May 8, 2018-A 33-year-old child sex offender was sentenced to prison for 10 years thanks to the courage of two victims who came forward fifteen years after they were first assaulted. Lewis Vega, now of Lubbock, pleaded guilty to seven counts of Aggravated Assault of a Child and four counts of Indecency with a Child by Contact this morning in the 103rd District Court. He was sentenced by Judge Janet Leal to 10 years in prison on all counts, which will run concurrently.
According to the victims, who are family members of Vega, the abuse happened between the ages of 7 and 14 years old when the defendant was himself a juvenile living in Brownsville. Back in 2012, one of the victims initially made a statement to law enforcement about her experiences. Three years later, the investigation was re-opened when a second victim came forward, and subsequent interviews detailed the horrific allegations of child sexual abuse.
Child Abuse Unit Lead Prosecutor Brandy Bailey says her team recommended Vega be certified as an adult, “due to the egregious nature of the crimes, the number of victims, and duration of the abuse.” She says the victims gathered the courage to come forward once they were adults and reminds everyone it was their voices that allowed justice to be served today.
“These victims came from all over the United States; one from the East Coast, one from the Pacific Northwest, and one from North Texas. They sacrificed to make sure their testimony was heard. While being a victim can be a burden, it can also inspire victims in other cases to come forward. Their courage and commitment paid off when the defendant was convicted and is off the streets,” said Cameron County District Attorney Luis Saenz.
Brandy Bailey and Melanie P. Zamora prosecuted the case for the State of Texas. The Brownsville Police Department and Texas Rangers took the lead on the investigations.
