CONROE – A 42-year-old man was sentenced to life in prison for continuous sexual abuse of a child, Conroe District Attorney Brett Ligon announced.
Derek Cobbs was found guilty on Wednesday, Nov. 17, and sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
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According to the news release, Cobbs, who worked as a truck driver and a local youth football coach, sexually abused a now 15-year-old girl from when she was 10 until she turned 12 years old.
The victim, who spoke during Cobbs’ trial, said she reported the abuse to an adult who then contacted authorities. The teen also said Cobbs had a foot fetish, which correlated to a second, unrelated victim who experienced the same behavior from Cobbs in 2003.
Officials said both victims testified during the trial about the devastating impact Cobbs abuse had on them. They also spoke of the importance of confronting Cobbs and demanding accountability for his actions.
“Derek Cobbs had a dark perversion that he inflicted on innocent children. He pretended to be a good man for years, wearing a mask that he showed the outside world. Our jury saw through the charade. Because of the bravery of the victim in this case, Cobbs can never harm another child,” said prosecutor Wesley LeRouax.