A man who molested his daughter years ago was sentenced to two years in prison and 10 years' probation Tuesday at a hearing in Bowie County, Texas.
Carl Talbert, 67, entered a plea of guilty to three counts of aggravated sexual assault of a child and two counts of indecency with a child by sexual contact at a hearing in October before 102nd District Judge Bobby Lockhart. Talbert never denied the allegations.
In October, Talbert's now-29-year-old daughter testified about the emotional struggles she's faced because of what her father did to her when she was a young teen and the rift the abuse created between her and her mother. Carlandria Talbert, who asked that her name be published, testified that she told her mother about the abuse when she was about 15.
Her father returned to the family's New Boston, Texas, home after just a few days. During the last few years of Carlandria Talbert's childhood, her father occasionally asked if she wanted to engage in sexual activity with him again. Her mother asked if it was still happening. As an adult, Carlandria Talbert served in the military, and it was there she received counseling that eventually led her to report the sexual abuse to the New Boston Police Department in 2014.
When interviewed by investigators, Carl Talbert confessed. At his plea hearing in October, Lockhart asked Carlandria Talbert what punishment she hoped her father would receive. Carlandria Talbert expressed a firm desire for her father to register as a sex offender and receive "help" but stopped short of defining her wishes for punishment.
Carl Talbert's indictment charges him with committing the crimes in 2002. At that time, Texas law allowed defendants to receive probation for aggravated sexual assault of a child.
The law does not allow for such a disposition today.
Lockhart said Tuesday that he has struggled with how to resolve Talbert's case. Talbert's lawyers, John Pickett and Jason Horton, asked the court to show leniency to the Vietnam veteran in ailing health and sentence him to probation. Assistant District Attorney Kelley Crisp said Talbert should be held to account for violating the law and his daughter.
"There's no good answer on what to do with this case," Lockhart said. "I'm not going to make anybody happy."
Lockhart sentenced Talbert to 10-year terms of probation on each of the aggravated sexual assaults and two-year prison terms on each count of indecency.
All the terms will run concurrently.
Lockhart ordered Talbert to report Dec. 28 to the Bowie County Sheriff's Office to begin serving his time. He will be held in the Bowie County jail until he is taken to the Texas Department of Criminal Justice Institutional Division.
While on probation, he will be supervised on a specialized sex offender caseload. Carl Talbert must register as a sex offender for the remainder of his life.