A Waco man will spend the rest of his life in prison after being found guilty of sexually assaulting multiple children over the course of a number of years.
Angel Escalante, 52, was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole following a five day jury trial in Burnet County. The case was prosecuted by attorneys from both the Burnet and McLennan County District Attorneys’ Offices because Escalante had sexually abused three girls in both counties.
Evidence at trial revealed that the three girls Escalante abused were family members, with abuse beginning as far back as 2009. The molestation continued until 2023, when two of the three survivors reported the abuse to a family member, and then to law enforcement in Waco. Because the victims were younger at the time they were abused in Burnet, and because of the repetitive nature of those offenses, the Burnet charges carried a greater punishment. For those reasons, the two prosecuting offices chose to try Escalante in Burnet County.
All three survivors testified at trial, along with witnesses from law enforcement and Child Protective Services. Jurors also heard testimony from a forensic interviewer in Waco as well as a child therapist, who was an expert in the traumatic effects of child sexual abuse. Evidence also proved that Escalante had prior convictions for Aggravated Assault with a Deadly Weapon, Burglary of a Habitation, and Injury to a Child. The case from Burnet County was investigated by the Burnet Police Department. The defense also called nearly a dozen witnesses during the trial. After the jury’s guilty verdict, the jury decided Escalante’s punishment.
Burnet County District Attorney Perry Thomas stated, “I am very proud of the joint efforts of our office and the District Attorney’s Office of McLennan County for seeking the maximum sentence for someone who has abused children. I hope this sends a message that children who report abuse will be believed and their abusers held accountable.”
