A former Texarkana, Texas, Independent School District security guard pleaded guilty to promoting prostitution Monday afternoon in a Bowie County.
Michael Carroll James, 43, appeared with Texarkana attorney Shorty Barrett before 202nd District Judge John Tidwell on Monday afternoon for a pretrial hearing. Barrett and Assistant District Attorneys Michael Shepherd and Katie Carter announced that a plea agreement has been reached in the case.
Tidwell accepted James’ plea of guilty to promoting prostitution of a person under 18 but said he would wait to formally sentence James after a presentence investigation has been completed by the Bowie County probation department. Shepherd said the proposed plea agreement will allow James to serve a 10-year term of felony probation.
Carter said the family of the victim in James’ case has been consulted about and has approved of the agreement. Tidwell scheduled James to return to court for sentencing Dec. 3. If Tidwell refuses to approve the plea deal, James can withdraw his guilty plea and take his case to trial.
Carroll resigned his position with TISD several weeks before the mother of a 14-year-old boy filed a complaint with the Texarkana, Texas, Police Department, according to a probable cause affidavit. The victim reported that James asked him in July 2017 if he would, “like to make money on a rainy day.” After the boy replied that he would, James allegedly began touching the boy on his chest and shoulder. The boy told the CAC interviewer that he rebuffed James’ advances, leading James to say, “You got to get used to me touching you,” the affidavit states.
James allegedly offered to pay the boy a minimum of $35 in exchange for sexual contact. The alleged victim’s mother told detectives James is a family friend who worked for TISD. James is currently free on a $10,000 personal recognizance bond.
