New Boston, Texas: A former U.S. Army soldier who molested girls in multiple states was sentenced to life in prison for aggravated sexual assault of a child and aggravated kidnapping by a Bowie County jury Thursday evening.
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Aaron Gregory Lucas forced a 7-year-old Texarkana girl into his silver Volvo after dragging her from the monkey bars near her family’s apartment complex Dec. 19, 2009. When the girl fought, he slapped her and threatened to kill her. Aaron Lucas raped the girl in the back seat of his car and then dropped near the playground where he kidnapped her. Aaron Lucas tried to blame the Texarkana abduction and rape on his identical twin brother, Brian Lucas, but the jury rejected the defense after hearing testimony that Brian Lucas was in South Carolina at the time.
Aaron Lucas is already serving a term of 20 years to life in Colorado for similar crimes. He attempted to blame his brother for those offenses initially but eventually pleaded guilty. Members of law enforcement from Colorado and Alabama testified Wednesday and Thursday about the crimes Aaron Lucas committed in their state which are similar to the assault of the Texarkana girl, under questioning from Assistant District Attorneys Lauren Richards and Kelley Crisp at a trial before 5th District Judge Bill Miller.
“Something that came out today that is especially disturbing in this case,” Richards argued. “He was in the military. He abused that uniform that so many of us honor, that so many people have honorably served wearing. There is no greater evil than what sits in that chair in this courtroom.”
Crisp told the jury their verdict will send a message to others about the tolerance Bowie County citizens have for child predators.
“He grabbed a child, threw her in a car, hit her in the face, threatened to kill her, and then threw her out like trash,” Crisp argued. “He deserves every single bit of two life sentences.”
The jury sentenced Lucas to life sentences on counts of aggravated sexual assault of a child and aggravated kidnapping.
