NEW BOSTON, Texas–A Texarkana man was sentenced to a maximum 10-year prison term Thursday for child abuse involving an extension cord and for leaving young children alone in an unsafe situation.
Anthony White, 38, had to be removed from the courtroom Thursday after a verbal outburst on the witness stand under questioning by First Assistant District Attorney Kelley Crisp. Crisp said White’s last statement in court was, “I’m tired of not being able to hurt people.”
The jury heard a phone call recorded this week by the Bowie County jail in which White states that, “Someone is going to have to pay for this.”
“During his testimony, White admitted to abusing his children but believed his behavior to be justified,” Crisp said. “We are thankful the jury disagreed and sentenced him to the maximum possible sentence in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice.”
White was keeping his three children–ages 5, 6 and 7 years–at a residence in the 1900 block of W. 19th Street when their mother called police on Feb. 13, 2022, asking them to check on their welfare, according to a probable cause affidavit. White was arrested after officers determined he had beaten the 7-year-old with an extension cord and after they found the children sitting in a room with an unsheathed ax and open cans of beer on the floor.
“The evidence this week highlighted the incredible work and dedication of the Texarkana Texas Police Department. Our citizens can be thankful for their decisive action in removing Anthony White’s children from danger and preventing him from inflicting further harm to them,” Crisp said, adding that, “White’s behavior in the Bowie County jail awaiting this trial has been nothing short of atrocious and he well deserves the additional maximum sentence the jury gave him for felony criminal mischief.”
White was charged with criminal mischief for constantly tearing up county property in the jail including a toilet, a door lock, windows and other items. White’s misconduct in the jail was spurred at least once when he didn’t get the sack lunch he wanted. A notice filed by the state in advance of the trial that chronicles White’s history of aggressive and assaultive behavior.
“The Bowie County District Attorney’s Office would also like to thank the Bowie County Sheriff’s Office and the court bailiffs for their diligent security this week particularly in light of White’s threats of assault and volatile behavior,” Crisp said.
White has been convicted multiple times for resisting arrest and assault as well as deadly conduct for shooting at a woman who was helping her daughter retrieve belongings from an apartment she shared with White and while the woman’s grandchildren were with her, according to the state’s notice.
He received a maximum 10-year sentence for injury to a child. For three counts of child endangerment and criminal mischief charges, White was assessed maximum two-year terms in a state jail which will run concurrently to the injury to a child term.
White is currently serving several terms of probation in Miller County, Arkansas, for aggravated assault and burglary. Motions to revoke the probations are pending and could result in Arkansas prison time.
Crisp and Assistant District Attorney Lauren Richards represented the state. White was represented by the Bowie County Public Defender’s Office. Judge John Tidwell of the 202nd District of Texas presided over the trial.
