FRIENDSWOOD, Texas – A Friendswood man has been sentenced to serve more than three decades in prison for repeatedly sexually abusing a relative over a period of five years.
The trial for Joshua Curtis Dryer, 35, began Monday and ended two days later.
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The Friendswood Police Department began investigating Dryer as a result of an anonymous report to Child Protective Services following an incident where he attempted to make a sexual advance towards a 17-year-old girl in his home. During the investigation, a relative of Dryer’s disclosed that he had repeatedly sexually abused her from the age of eight or nine, to 13.
Dryer was indicted for continuous sexual assault of a child, a first degree felony, with a minimum punishment of 25 years in prison without the possibility of parole. The indictment alleged the abuse began in August 2009 and ended in August 2015.
At trial, the victim testified that the abuse would occur at night in her bed while others were asleep. The other 17-year-old victim testified that Dryer made unwanted physical contact with her while attending a sleepover at his home.
The defense contended that both allegations were fabricated and largely rested their case on an argument that the victim owned a tall loft style bed which would have made the abuse impossible as the victim described it occurring.
Both Dryer and his mother testified that the loft bed remained in the home during all relevant years and was not removed until long after the abuse would have ended. In rebuttal, the State presented time-stamped family photos of the victim’s room and testimony from multiple witnesses that the loft bed was replaced with a day bed prior to the abuse occurring, including testimony from the individual whom the loft bed was ultimately given to.
Prosecutor Adam Poole argued to the jury that there was no legitimate confusion about the bed, there was only deception, and that Dryer displayed a special kind of arrogance to think that he could lie to the twelve people who would be deciding his fate.
On Wednesday afternoon, the jury returned a guilty verdict after one hour of deliberation and, 30 minutes later, sentenced Dryer to 35 years in prison.