(MISSOURI CITY) - A Fort Bend County jury has sentenced a man to 60 years in prison for failing to register as a sex offender while living in Missouri City. The jury found him guilty on two charges of Failure to Comply with Sex Offender Registration Requirement.
Evidence presented by prosecutors Craig Priesmeyer and Alycia Curtis showed that the Missouri City Police Department received information about an unregistered sex offender residing in their city in June 2020. They launched an investigation, identifying 53-year-old
Brian Walker and his failure to comply with sex offender registration requirements, assisted by the Texas Attorney General’s Office and U.S. Marshals. According to lead prosecutor Craig Priesmeyer, authorities learned from multiple sources that Walker had been living in the city for years without making any attempts to notify law enforcement.
Once officers learned of Walker’s presence, they gave him an opportunity to properly register; however, Walker was uncooperative, insisting that the laws of Texas did not apply to him. Shortly thereafter, Walker fled the state. He was ultimately apprehended by U.S. Marshals in Arizona and returned to Texas to face his charges.
During trial, jurors learned that Walker was required to register as a sex offender because of three 2003 convictions in Arizona for the crime of Sexual Conduct with a Minor, an offense similar to Sexual Assault of a Child in Texas. Records presented by prosecutors showed that the only time Walker registered as a sex offender was in 2007 with the El Paso Police Department before telling authorities that he was moving to Mexico.
“He knew exactly what he was required to do. He signed, initialed, and even put his own thumbprint on the paperwork, acknowledging his registration requirements; and yet, he continuously refused to accept responsibility for his past and present actions,” said Priesmeyer.
Jurors deliberated approximately one hour before finding Walker guilty in both cases. After the verdicts, the jury then learned that Walker was previously prosecuted for additional felony offenses, including Indecency with a Child by Sexual Contact, Aggravated Assault, Unlawful Flight from a Law Enforcement Vehicle, and Attempted Prohibited Acts by a Sex Offender.
“The sex offender registration requirement was designed to protect the public from sex offenders re-offending,” said District Attorney Brian Middleton. “The defendant’s actions and
criminal history are the very reason this law was created. Justice has been rendered in this case and the defendant will no longer be a threat to public safety.”
Priesmeyer added, “Our community is extremely fortunate to have dedicated and knowledgeable investigators from the Missouri City Police Department, the Texas Attorney General’s Office, and the U.S. Marshals Service, who work tirelessly to identify and apprehend non-compliant sex offenders living among us. Their efforts coupled with today’s sentence sends a clear message that we will not tolerate those who disregard their obligations and endanger our community.”
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