A jury in Ellis County sentenced a man to 150 years behind bars after he was found guilty of sexually assaulting his teenage babysitter.
Daniel Paul Hammons, 33, of Ferris, was found guilty earlier this week of two counts of child molestation and sentenced to 75 years behind bars on each charge.
In a statement Ellis County District Attorney Patrick Wilson said Hammons hired the 14-year-old daughter of a family friend to take care of his children while he and his wife worked.
Hammons then "began grooming the child by complimenting her body, rubbing up against her, telling her about his marital problems, asking to see her breasts, and eventually engaging in sex acts with the child," according to Wilson's statement.
Prosecutors said before he left for work, Hammons would take the babysitter into the children's room supposedly to clean, but would instead lock the door behind him and engage in sex acts with the girl.
"The babysitter was able to give details about the offenses including what the defendant would do to her," Wilson said. "She was also able to describe a tattoo on Hammons' penis."
The jury also heard from two others who said Hammons touched them inappropriately. Hammons' charges were increased to felonies because he had a previous conviction for burglary of a habitation.
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Hammons' jail terms are to be served consecutively and he will not be eligible for parole until 2076. He was also fined $20,000, $10,000 for each count.
