Texarkana man faces five felony charges in alleged child sex abuse

Russell Little
Russell Little

A Texarkana man indicted for sexual assault of a child last year is now facing a total of five felony charges in Bowie County.

Prosecutors with the Bowie County District Attorney's Office presented allegations of additional sexual misconduct involving the same alleged victim listed in an indictment handed down for Russell Layne Little, 42, in February 2018. Thursday, the grand jury re-indicted Little for three counts of indecency with a child by sexual contact and two counts of sexual assault of a child.

Little allegedly assaulted a 14-year-old friend of his daughter's in 2017, according to a probable cause affidavit. The girl made an outcry of sexual abuse to an adult member of Centre West Baptist Church in 2017. The adult contacted the Bowie County Sheriff's Office and a deputy took a report at the church at 909 N. Bishop in Wake Village. That location is now home to Rise Church.

The alleged victim reported that she was sexually abused by Little when she would spend the night with Little's daughter at Little's residence in Nash, Texas. The probable cause affidavit mentions that a different girl made an outcry of abuse against Little prior to the outcry made by the girl listed in the indictments pending against Little now in Bowie County.

The mother of that girl allegedly told investigators she did not contact authorities because her daughter said Little "raised her shirt" when he thought she was sleeping while she was spending the night with Little's daughter at Little's home and did not allege an assault.

Little's former spouse allegedly told investigators in May 2017 that she was no longer living with Little because of the allegations of sexual misconduct involving her daughter's friends. Court records show Little's wife filed for divorce in April 2017 and that the divorce was finalized in July of that year.

During an interview of Little at the BCSO in May 2017, Little allegedly denied any wrongdoing and showed investigators text messages to and from the alleged victim which he claimed were exchanged after sexual misconduct allegedly occurred.

The texts were sent and received between Feb. 19, 2017, and April 7, 2017.

"The content of the messages did not incriminate Mr. Little but they were numerous and occurred at odd hours of the day and night (1:06 a.m., 10:40 p.m.)," the affidavit states. "Some of the messages were from Little asking (the alleged victim) if she wanted to spend the night, and one was asking her to send a photo of herself."

The first report was taken by a BCSO deputy April 9, 2017, at Centre West Baptist Church, two days after the date of the last text message Little provided to investigators.

Little faces two to 20 years in prison on each of the five felony counts pending against him. Little posted bond on a $50,000 bail following his arrest last year.

Officials involved in the investigation expressed concern that Little's access to children through social activities such as church and through his own children could mean additional, as yet unidentified victims, exist. Anyone with information about the case is asked to contact the Bowie County Sheriff's Office or CrimeStoppers at 903-793-STOP.

Little is expected to appear for arraignment on the new indictment next month before 102nd District Judge Jeff Addison.

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