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Montgomery County Jury sentences Man to Life without Parole for Continuous Abuse of a Child
On Thursday, September 1, 2022, a Montgomery County jury sentenced Miguel Angel Moran, 39, to life in prison without the possibility of parole after finding him guilty of Continuous Sexual Abuse of a Child. The trial was held in the 221st District Court, Judge Lisa Michalk presiding.
Prosecutors proved that on March 29, 2021, Moran sexually abused a 13-year-old girl at her home in Spring, Texas. Moran first picked the child up from school at her mother’s request. Finding no one at home, Moran took the girl upstairs and performed various sex acts on her.
Within a few days, the victim told a friend at school about the abuse. The friend convinced the girl to tell a counselor, and the counselor notified the police. Detectives Brad Kennelly and Alexander Randall with the Precinct 3 Montgomery County Constable’s Office investigated the case. During the investigation, detectives learned that Moran had also sexually abused the girl’s older sister, beginning years earlier and lasting for years.
Both girls testified at trial, telling the jury that the abuse began around age 13. The defendant testified, denying that he had abused either of the girls sexually. The jury found the defendant guilty in about 45 minutes.
During the punishment phase of the trial, the younger victim testified that she had attempted suicide after the abuse. The attempt was motivated by feelings of guilt and shame related to the assault.
The jury sentenced Moran to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
Assistant District Attorneys Chris Seufert and Katherine Wiethorn prosecuted the case. The Precinct 3 Montgomery County Constables Office, Children’s Safe Harbor, and Texas Forensic Nurse Examiners assisted in providing the evidence and support necessary to charge and convict the defendant.
Assistant District Attorney Chris Seufert stated, “I am so proud of these two girls and their strength in coming forward to hold the defendant responsible for what he did. It is not easy for a young woman to go into court and face her abuser, but they did, and because they did, Moran’s reign of sexual terror is finally over.
Assistant District Attorney Katherine Wiethorn shared, “These young women are courageous survivors and the heroes in this story. They showed bravery in standing up to a grown man who had violated both of them in the worst ways possible. What he did was despicable, but they met his evil with their strength. Thanks to a skilled law enforcement team and twelve courageous jurors, this man will never hurt another child again.”
District Attorney Brett Ligon said, “This man preyed upon two young girls, and I have no doubt he would have continued to find victims for as long as he could. Fortunately, these two sisters demonstrated the courage to set in motion a just and necessary result—Miguel Moran in prison forever.”
Source: Michael R. Holley, First Assistant District Attorney, Montgomery County District Attorney’s Office
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