NEW BOSTON, Texas-A former soldier was convicted Thursday of the 2009 kidnapping and sexual assault of a 7-year-old Texarkana, Texas, girl and sentenced to two life terms in prison.
It took about 30 minutes for the jury of eight men and four women to reject Aaron Gregory Lucas' claim that the assault was committed by his identical twin, Brian Lucas.
The jury found Aaron Lucas guilty of aggravated sexual assault of a child and aggravated kidnapping and assessed life sentences for each crime. Fifth District Judge Bill Miller ordered the terms will run consecutively.
During the trial, witnesses testified that Aaron Lucas had been granted leave from a military assignment at a Lawton, Okla., base the day before the Texarkana girl was grabbed as she climbed on monkey bars near a family member's apartment. Her feet dragged the ground as she screamed for help.
"He was like, 'Stop screaming, or I'm going to kill you,'" the victim, now 14, testified Thursday under questioning from Assistant District Attorney Lauren Richards. "I kicked. I tried to run, but he grabbed my jacket and he caught me."
Even though the assault was half a lifetime behind her, tears streaked the victim's face as she recalled her assailant's blue eyes and the physical evidence of his attack.
Aaron Lucas parked his silver Volvo behind a Burger King on New Boston Road and sexually assaulted the girl in the back seat. Twice the girl was slapped as her attacker warned her to be silent. When he was finished, Aaron Lucas threw the girl's clothes at her, told her to put them back on and returned her to the area where he'd snatched her.
Officers from Colorado and Alabama traveled to New Boston to testify. Aaron Lucas' child molestation rampage in those states led to the formation of a task force among various agencies in jurisdictions where young girls were being approached and violated by a man in "Army clothes" who often drove a silver car with a black stripe.
In Colorado, Aaron Lucas targeted two girls, 6 and 9, as they sold lemonade during summer break. He also tried to entice a 7-year-old girl on a pink bike.
In Alabama, a 6-year-old girl was nabbed after she disembarked from a school bus.
The out-of-state officers testified that they responded to nearly a dozen calls connected to Aaron Lucas' misconduct. The only lapse came during his deployment to Afghanistan in 2010 and 2011, witnesses testified.
"What is especially disturbing in this case is that Aaron Lucas abused the uniform that so many of us honor, that so many have served honorably wearing," Richards argued as she turned to face the defense table. "There is no greater evil than what sits in that chair in this courtroom."
Lucas' defense team, Blake Burns, Nick Davis and Kyle Hogan of Fort Worth, Texas, asked the jury to consider their client's military service and that he released his victim.
Richards and Assistant District Attorney Kelley Crisp countered by asking the jury to give Aaron Lucas a life sentence.
"He drives around in the middle of the day in a car registered to him and picks children at random in low-income neighborhoods," Crisp argued. "There are no children selling lemonade or outside playing cops and robbers in the penitentiary. Prisons are made for people like Aaron Lucas."
Bowie County District Attorney Jerry Rochelle expressed his gratitude to the officers who traveled hundreds of miles to testify, as well as his staff and local law enforcement. The Colorado officers were Fred Walker, Rebecca Arndt, Scott Gilbertson and William Otto. Alabama officers Jonathan Stout and Christie Gover also took the stand for the state.
Local law enforcement who assisted with the case include Shawn Jacobs, Latriesha Grandy, Spencer Price, Lillian Tidwell, Lance Hall and Christy Whisenhunt. Missy Davison of Texarkana Children's Advocacy Center, CHRISTUS St. Michael Health System registered nurse Charity Noble and Tricia Cotcher of the Department of Public Safety Crime Lab gave testimony as well.
"It was a hard-fought battle and a team effort. It was all hands on deck to ensure justice was secured for a 7-year-old victim, her family and every citizen of Bowie County," Rochelle said. "I also commend the victim for having the courage to push forward and take this case to trial so no other children are victimized by this defendant."