Jury Gives Man Six Years For Online Solicitation Of Minor In Police Sting

Sponsor

NEW BOSTON, Texas–A Bowie County jury sentenced a Texarkana man to six years in prison Wednesday for soliciting sex from an undercover police officer he believed was a 15-year-old girl.

Larry Dean Parsons, 48, was taken into custody at the end of the trial before District Judge Bill Miller. He was first arrested Aug. 13, 2020, in connection with a sting operation by agents with the Texas Department of Public Safety and released the following day on a $50,000 bond.

DPS investigators placed an ad online on a website known for human trafficking and prostitution, according to a probable cause affidavit. Parsons sent the undercover agents a photo of $75 before arriving at a convenience store in Nash, Texas, where he’d agreed to meet an undercover agent posing as a 15-year-old girl for sex.

Following his arrest, Parsons allegedly told the agents he “wanted to try something new,” referring to sex with a minor.

The jury sentenced Parsons to six years in prison, short of the 10-year maximum for the crime. They declined to recommend a term of probation and assessed a fine of $3,500.

Assistant District Attorney Katie Carter represented the state. Parsons was represented by Texarkana lawyer Shorty Barrett.

Previous articleCharlotte Clevette Walden
Next articleCass County Prosecutor Says Three Sisters Recovered From Pond Victims of Homicide