NEW BOSTON, Texas: A Bowie County jury sentenced a child predator to the maximum possible sentence Thursday after deliberating for less than 10 minutes.
Todd Peck, 51, was found guilty of the continuous sexual abuse of a child under 14 involving a now 14-year-old girl who was sexually abused repeatedly by Peck from 2012 to 2017. There is no parole from any sentence imposed for the offense and Peck’s five-woman, seven-man jury opted for a life term.
Four other witnesses, ages 24, 23, 19 and 18, testified that they were sexually abused by Peck in other Texas jurisdictions including Harris County where Peck is facing charges also. The jury assessed a maximum $10,000 fine as well.
“We rightly value and seek to protect innocence in our children. Todd Peck robbed each of the six victims tha confronted him of their childhood innocence,” Assistant District Attorney Kelley Crisp said. “Todd Peck was defiant and delusional throughout the trial–expressing not a moment’s regret or remorse–even after his conviction and the imposition of a life sentence. My hope is these girls can put this horrible chapter in their lives behind them knowing that Todd Peck will never see another free day and will die in prison for the damage he’s inflicted.”
Peck is facing similar charges connected to several of the other victims in Harris County, Texas, for alleged sexual abuse which allegedly occurred in Houston and Conroe, Texas.
The witnesses who testified against Peck described abuse spanning at least two decades. Peck selected girls with chaotic home environments whose mothers were duped into allowing their children to live or spend large blocks of time under Peck’s care. Two of the victims testified Peck picked them up at a garage sale like a used second-hand item.
Peck took the stand Thursday against the advice of his attorneys. Under questioning from Deborah Moore of the Bowie County Public Defenders Office, Peck denied ever abusing any of the girls. Peck maintained his innocence under cross-examination by Crisp but had to admit that he made up a story about the now 14-year-old victim being cast in a Pirates of the Carribean movie.
Peck claimed the movie lie was just a joke but Crisp argued that it was a ruse to keep the girl’s mother happy.
The victim witnesses testified that Peck drew other girls into his circle by encouraging the ones he was already abusing to bring home their friends. Peck is accused of abusing the girls alone and in front of one another.
Assistant District Attorney Lauren Richards described Peck as an insatiable pedophile who rewarded children for sex with trips to fast food restaraunts and parks.
“Tell those girls today is their day, that they get justice,” Richards argued. “It’s been a long time coming. For Todd Peck, his day has come.”
After the trial ended, two of the jury’s members came into the courtroom and spoke with the witnesses who testified against Peck. The two men said they were moved by the strength of the testimony and were pleased that they could help see justice was served.
