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Defendant receives 60 year sentence for Indecency with a Child by Contact and Exposure
On Thursday, August 15, 2019, in the 9th District Court of Montgomery County, Texas, with Judge Phil Grant presiding, a jury found defendant, Richard Michael Hill, 38, guilty on four charges of Indecency with a Child by Exposure and one charge of Indecency with a Child by Touching. Following his conviction, the jury sentenced the defendant to 10 years in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice with a $10,000 fine on each of the four charges of Indecency with a Child by Exposure and 20 years in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice with a $10,000 fine on the charge of Indecency with a Child by Touching, a maximum sentence on each count presented. At time of sentencing, Judge Phil Grant granted the State’s Motion and stacked the sentences, which results in a sentence of 60 years. Hill will be eligible for parole.
In July of 2018, Deputy Phillip Frey with the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office responded to a call at an apartment complex in Montgomery County, Texas regarding a male exposing his penis to two children. The case was then assigned to Detective Jason Buckner with the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office. Through the investigation and with the assistance of Children’s Safe Harbor, it was learned that Richard Michael Hill exposed his genitals to four girls ranging in age from 7-10 on three separate occasions within the same apartment complex.
Shortly after completing the investigation at the apartment complex, in October of 2018, Detective Buckner was made aware of another report concerning Richard Michael Hill by a fifth girl, age 8, whom Hill resided with after being forced to leave the apartment complex where the previous exposures had taken place. Detective Buckner opened another investigation and learned that Richard Michael Hill exposed his genitals to the 8 year old girl and touched the child with his genitals. Detective Buckner’s investigation led him to the Lake County, Illinois State Attorney’s Office, who had investigated Hill during 2015 relating to allegations of sexual abuse by additional victims.
The jury heard testimony from a total of 9 victims through the course of the trial. At punishment, Assistant District Attorneys Shana Redwine and Brittney Aaron asked the jury to give the maximum sentence in each charge in order to protect our community for as long as possible. The jury did just that with 10 years in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice with a $10,000 fine on the four charges of Indecency with a Child by Exposure and 20 years in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice with a $10,000 fine on the charge of Indecency with a Child by Touching.
Brittney Aaron, Felony Prosecutor, stated, “As a prosecutor, one of the most difficult things we do is ask a parent to allow their child to testify and be subject to cross examination, and this case was no different. Luckily, because of five brave families, our community is safe from this Defendant.”
Source: J. Tyler Dunman, Assistant District Attorney, Chief, Special Crimes Bureau, Montgomery County District Attorney’s Office
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