A videotape allegedly found during a search of an accused child sex abuser's New Boston, Texas, home has led to an additional charge and stricter bond conditions for a 71-year-old defendant.
John Markus Littleton was arrested April 24 for the alleged sexual assault of a child involving a girl identified as "victim #1" in probable cause affidavits used to create the following account. The same day of Littleton's arrest, agents with the Texas Department of Public Safety's Criminal Investigations Division executed a search of Littleton's home in the 100 block of Meadow Drive in New Boston.
A videotape labeled with a female first name was allegedly collected from a dresser drawer in Littleton's bedroom. The VHS tape allegedly contained three different recordings of Littleton having sex with an obviously underage girl in a motel room.
Investigators were able to determine the date the recordings were made because of a television news broadcast in the background announcing that Lisa Marie Presley had filed for a divorce from Michael Jackson. The announcement was made Jan. 18, 1996.
Investigators were also able to identify the person depicted in the video with Littleton and determined she was 14 at the time she was allegedly molested. The woman, now 36, is referred to in a second probable cause affidavit as "victim #5" and allegedly told investigators Littleton began sexually assaulting her when she was 11.
There is no statute of limitations in Texas for sexual assault of a child.
Littleton's newer charge was addressed Tuesday at a pre-indictment hearing before 202nd District Judge John Tidwell. Tidwell previously ordered that Littleton wear a GPS leg monitor as a condition of bond and Tuesday more restrictions were added.
"The last time you were before me you only had one sexual assault of a child charge. Now we have two," Tidwell said.
Tidwell reminded Littleton that he is not to leave Bowie County without permission and placed him on house arrest. Littleton is not to leave his home except to attend court hearings. Tidwell told Littleton he is not to have access to a computer and that he is prohibited from having contact with anyone under the age of 18.
"If you violate any terms I will lock you up," Tidwell warned.
Clayton Haas of the Bowie County Public Defenders Office asked Tidwell about meetings with Littleton at his downtown Texarkana office. Tidwell said Littleton can meet with his lawyers as long as the appointments are pre-arranged through pretrial services personnel.
While Littleton's abuse of "victim #5" allegedly occurred in the 1990s, his abuse of "victim #1" allegedly occurred from January 2013 to February 2015.
The girl referred to as "victim #1" allegedly reported to investigators that she was staying at the home of a woman in Texarkana, Ark., who also had two other teen girls living with her and that she met Littleton while there. Littleton allegedly picked up victim #1 from the woman's house and drove her to Budget Inn on South Lake Drive in Texarkana, Texas, and assaulted her when she was 13.
Littleton allegedly spent the night in the motel with the girl and paid her $200 before taking her back to the woman's house in Texarkana, Ark. Littleton allegedly picked the girl up again two weeks later and took her back to Budget Inn. The girl reported she also was taken by Littleton to his home in New Boston and assaulted there.
Littleton allegedly paid the girl varying sums of cash and gave her methamphetamine. A cellphone provided to investigators by victim #1 allegedly contains photos taken at or near Littleton's home in July 2015. Phone records allegedly show hundreds of contacts between Littleton and the girl in 2015 and 2016.
Credit card receipts allegedly show Littleton rented rooms at Budget Inn on six different dates in 2014. A girl referred to in the affidavit as "victim #2" allegedly reported Littleton sexually assaulted her "numerous times" when she was age 15 and that she was aware that Littleton had sexually assaulted "victim #1."
Littleton's case has not been presented to a grand jury for indictment. Once law enforcement turns over a complete investigative file to the Bowie County District Attorneys Office, prosecutors will determine what charge or charges to seek indictments for from a grand jury.
Tidwell scheduled Littleton to return to court June 18.
The Texas Department of Public Safety is asking that anyone with information related to the case contact DPS at 903-255-5701.