NEW BOSTON, Texas-A man whom prosecutors described as living in a house of horrors was convicted Wednesday of two counts of aggravated sexual assault of a child involving a 12-year-old girl.
Charles Edward Garton, 40, testified Wednesday that multiple confessions recorded in April 2018 were given under pressure and coercion. But videos of the interviews showed Garton describing his misconduct in great detail to Texas Department of Public Safety special agents without threats or intimidation. In an interview filmed April 24 in the carport of a house on Meadow Drive in New Boston, one agent endeavors to find Garton a lighter for his cigarette as another questions him.
The jury of eight women and four men was instructed by 102nd District Judge Jeff Addison to return to court Thursday morning for the punishment phase of Garton's trial. He faces five to 99 years or life in prison on each count.
First Assistant District Attorney Kelley Crisp described the residence where Garton lived with John Littleton for 13 years as a "house of horrors." Littleton died last June before he could be tried on charges of sexual assault and human trafficking.
DPS Special Agent Briscoe Davis testified Wednesday under questioning from Assistant District Attorney Randle Smolarz that he believes Littleton may have ingested a chemical used in the cattle business to end his life which is not regularly screened for at autopsy. Davis said Garton came onto his "radar" during the months-long investigation into Littleton.
Davis said that during the time he was conducting surveillance of the house before a search warrant was executed April 24, 2018, Garton's conduct with the victim seemed inappropriate. The victim always sat next to Garton in his truck rather than in the passenger seat and sometimes in his lap as he drove. Davis said their interactions did not seem normal between an adult man and a preteen girl.
Agents waited until Garton drove the victim and her older sister to school the morning of the search before entering the house and arresting Littleton.
Davis said that the sights and smells in the Meadow Drive house caused one of the agents on scene to vomit. Dirty men's underwear with human feces in it hung from a doorknob in the home and human and dog waste was found throughout the house.
The victim testified under questioning from Crisp that the house was "filthy" and "nasty" but she and her sister had no choice but to live there. The grandparents who had been caring for them both fell ill and their mother, an alleged trafficking victim whom Littleton allegedly began to violate when she was 11, was unable to care for them.
The girl said Garton treated her differently than her sister. While he bought them both food, she received trips to nail salons and clothes. Eventually Garton told the girl he "had feelings for me," which she did not return. Garton repeatedly asked the girl to show him her breasts until she agreed. Garton sexually assaulted the girl after enticing her into his bedroom to play a game, the victim testified.
When the victim met April 24, 2018, at the Texarkana Children's Advocacy Center with forensic interviewer Missy Davison, she denied Garton ever touched her sexually. The victim testified that she intended to keep her "pinky promise" to Garton to stay silent. Davison conducted a second interview with the victim later the same date after learning that Garton had confessed. The girl continued in her denial until she underwent a sexual assault examination during which she told the nurse what she'd endured.
Under questioning by his lawyer, Bart Craytor of Texarkana, Garton claimed he was just telling the agents "what they wanted to hear." In a hearing outside the presence of the jury Tuesday, Crisp mentioned that Garton's confession came after he failed a polygraph examination.
In closing arguments, Assistant District Attorney Lauren Richards pointed to Davison's testimony about Garton's "grooming" of the victim and the control he exerted over her. Richards said that Garton's description of himself as a "father" to the victim and her sister is an insult to those who truly parent a child without preying on them.
"He confessed to four separate law enforcement officers," Richards argued. "Now he has buyer's remorse, saying they pressured or coerced him. Those men were professional and kind."
Crisp pointed out that Garton, who testified he had no place to live when he took up residence with Littleton over a decade ago, was gainfully employed and could have left the house had he chosen to do so.
"He had two jobs. If you don't like the drugs and kiddie raping and whatever else was going on there, you leave," Crisp said.
Crisp said the real heroes in the case are the agents who worked tirelessly to build cases against Littleton, Garton and Kenneth Nelson. Nelson was sentenced last year to multiple life sentences for human trafficking. As she spoke, Crisp pointed to seats in the courtroom occupied by Davis, Special Agent Josh Vera, Special Agent Tony Galliton, DPS Special Agent Lance Klein and other officers.
A verdict on the punishment Garton will receive is expected sometime Thursday.