A Florida man who was sleeping in his van in front of a home in rural Bowie County was indicted last week on charges of aggravated sexual assault of a child, indecency with a child and evading arrest in a vehicle.
Jesse Joseph Hines, 33, of Cocoa Beach, Fla., reportedly was parking his van in front of a home on County Road 3102, where a 6-year-old girl lived. An adult member of the girl's family reported April 28 that the child said Hines showed her pornographic videos on his cellphone, masturbated in front of her and sexually assaulted her during the first week of March, according to a probable cause affidavit.
The girl's family was told to call 911 if Hines returned to the area. Bowie County Sheriff's Office responded to such a call about 9:30 p.m. April 30.
Deputies were unable to find Hines after he ran into a wooded area.
Shortly after midnight May 1, Deputy Rob Hadaway saw Hines park his van on the eastbound ramp of Interstate 30 after turning from U.S. Highway 82.
The deputy pulled in behind the van and activated his lights, intending to tell Hines to stay away from the area where the girl was living. As Hadaway was giving dispatchers his location, Hines allegedly sped away, stopping after leading the deputy on a 1-mile chase.
Hines allegedly was holding a can of compressed air that he had been "huffing" when taken into custody. Deputies discovered additional full and empty cans of the compressed air.
Hines is being held in the Bowie County jail. Justice of the Peace Nancy Talley set his bail at $10,000 for evading arrest and at $100,000 for aggravated sexual assault of a child.
If found guilty of aggravated sexual assault of a child, Hines faces five to 99 years or life in prison. The evading and indecency charges are punishable by two to 10 years in prison each.
Hines' case is assigned to 202nd District Judge John Tidwell. First Assistant District Attorney Kelley Crisp and Assistant District Attorney Lauren Richards are prosecuting. Hines is represented by the Bowie County Public Defender's Office.