A New Boston, Texas, man accused of emailing photos of himself sexually abusing a 2-year-old girl is facing state and possibly federal charges.
Joseph Clinton Leatherman Jr., 28, appeared before 102nd District Judge Bobby Lockhart for a pre-indictment hearing Wednesday afternoon with Dallas lawyer Gary Unell.
Assistant District Attorney Kelley Crisp said she plans to present Leatherman's case to a Bowie County grand jury this week for formal indictment on a charge of aggravated sexual assault of a child under 6 years old.
"Our offer is life in the penitentiary," Crisp said.
Unell told Lockhart, "We did decline that offer."
If convicted, aggravated sexual assault of a child involving a victim under 6 is punishable by 25 to 99 years or life in prison.
Crisp told Lockhart there is also a pending charge of child pornography possession pending against Leatherman in Bowie County.
"My understanding is that the federal government intends to pick that up," Crisp said.
The investigation into Leatherman's alleged misdeeds began about a month ago in Dallas, according to a probable cause affidavit used to create the following account.
Police there received notification Aug. 9 from the email service AOL that five images depicting child pornography had been mailed by a subscriber with the username infantryman903, which was allegedly linked to Leatherman.
Special agents with the Texas Department of Public Safety determined the offensive photos appeared to have been taken in April. The images show a male wearing camouflage underwear with distinctive physical characteristics sexually assaulting a young child.
DPS investigators acquired a warrant and searched Leatherman's home on Walters Street in New Boston on Aug. 11. During the search, investigators allegedly located men's camouflage underwear identical to that worn by the man in the illicit pictures. Leatherman's cell phone was seized as well. A woman with whom Leatherman had been living allegedly recognized his body, the underwear and the child pictured in the images when questioned by police.
Lockhart scheduled Leatherman to return to court next month. He is currently being held in the Bowie County jail. Bail is set at $500,000.
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