A 34-year-old Hooks, Texas, man pleaded not guilty Tuesday in Bowie County to three counts of sexual assault involving a teenage girl he met while working at a Texarkana fast food restaurant.
Joseph William White appeared before 102nd District Judge Bobby Lockhart for arraignment Tuesday at the Bi-State Justice Building in downtown Texarkana. White entered pleas of not guilty to three counts of sexual assault of a child.
White and the 16-year-old alleged victim met while both were working at Steak 'n Shake in Texarkana, Texas, according to a probable cause affidavit used to create the following account.
The girl's father contacted Texarkana, Texas, police in early July after finding text messages on his daughter's cellphone leading him to believe White was having an inappropriate and illegal sexual relationship with his child.
Texarkana, Texas, police arranged for the girl to meet July 18 with a forensic interviewer at the Children's Advocacy Center in Texarkana. During that interview,. the girl admitted she had been giving White rides to and from work because he lacked transportation but she denied any sexual contact, according to the affidavit.
During a second interview in July at CAC, the girl was confronted with text messages in which she described the alleged sexual contact to a friend and additional messages to and from White that allegedly confirmed the father's suspicion.
"The suspect's phone number was saved under 'BOO.' The messages showed that he asked her to be with him after she became of age and she tells him it will be a long time," the affidavit states. "Throughout the messages, you can see the gradual grooming from the suspect to the victim to talk her into having sex with him."
During an interview July 27, White allegedly told investigators that he and the girl had spent time together at a Texarkana motel room but had not had sex there. White allegedly admitted to having sex with the girl three times at his home in Hooks.
Texarkana, Texas, police handed the case off to Bowie County Sheriff's Office after determining the alleged misconduct happened in BCSO's jurisdiction.
A Bowie County grand jury indicted White in December for three counts of sexual assault of a child. Each offense is punishable by two to 20 years in prison. Lockhart scheduled White to return to court in February.