A 41-year-old Grand Saline man received a 10-year sentence from a district judge on an indecency with a child by sexual contact charge.
Anthony Michael Luft plead guilty to indecency with a child by sexual contact; a sentencing hearing was held Dec. 3 before 8th Judicial District Judge Eddie Northcutt, who sentenced Luft to 10 years, according to prosecutors.
“This was a very tough case. Law enforcement did an excellent job on this case,” said Jodi Haney Cox, assistant district attorney for the 8th Judicial District Attorney’s Office.
Luft was arrested March 28 as a result of a joint investigation between Sulphur Springs Police Department and Child Protective Services officials, police reported following Luft’s arrest.
The investigation was launched after an outcry was made of alleged sexual abuse of the child. The alleged sexual abuse was first reported to authorities in another jurisdiction. However, the offense was alleged to have occurred in Sulphur Springs, so authorities contacted SSPD on March 26, Sulphur Springs Police Detective Jason Reneau reported following Luft’s arrest.
The alleged child victim was interviewed at Northeast Texas Child Advocacy Center. Based on the investigation and NETCAC interview, Reneau sought and obtained a warrant for Luft’s arrest, the SSPD investigator reported.
Luft was located and arrested March 28 in Grand Saline, then transported to Hopkins County jail, where he was interviewed regarding the allegation, according to Reneau.
Luft plead guilty and appeared in court for a sentencing hearing in which he receive a 10-year sentence Wednesday from the judge.
“We believed this victim deserved justice and justice was served. The judge made sure justice was served, no matter who the defendant was,” Cox said.
