WILLIS, Texas – A repeat child sex offender from Willis who was convicted of abusing a 7-year-old in the past was sentenced to 42 years in prison for child pornography Wednesday, Montgomery County District Attorney Brett Ligon said.
Melvin Jones, 59, pleaded guilty to three third-degree felony charges of possession of child pornography. Jones’ punishment was enhanced by a prior prison sentence for indecency with a child from 1994 in Harris County, a news release said.
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Under a plea agreement, Judge Hamilton of the 359th District Court sentenced Jones to 20 years in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice on each of the first two charges, and two years in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice on the third charge, with the sentences to run consecutively, the release said. Prosecutors said Jones must serve at minimum 10.5 years before he becomes eligible for parole on the final case.
In May 2022, investigators said a family member located a phone belonging to Jones and saw several images of children being sexually abused. The family member had allegedly seen similar images on his phone a few years prior but did not report it. After the images were found, Jones threatened the family member telling them, “If you burn me, I will kill you.”
The family member reported what she saw, Ligon said. Detective Shelby Yow with the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office and Detective Diane Peterson with Montgomery County Constable Precinct 5 executed a search warrant at Jones’ residence and seized multiple electronic devices belonging to him.
A preliminary examination found evidence of child pornography and Jones was arrested on May 23, 2022, investigators said. Upon a full forensic examination of Jones’ phone and computer, authorities said over 2,300 images and videos were found, some of which contained “heinous acts” of child sexual abuse against children.
Authorities said in 1993, Jones sexually abused a 7-year-old. He was charged and convicted of indecency with a child in Harris County. He received a three-year sentence on July 15, 1994.
The Montgomery County Precinct 5 Constable’s Office, Montgomery County ICAC Detectives, the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office, and the Montgomery County District Attorney’s Office assisted in providing evidence for this prosecution.
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