FORT BEND COUNTY, Texas – A judge in Fort Bend County has sentenced a 46-year-old man to life in prison without parole for sexually abusing a child over a 14-year period.
68th District Court Presiding Judge Steve Rogers sentenced Robert Richard Tassin on Sept. 23 for the charge of continuous sexual abuse of a young child.
Recommended Videos
Tassin was also sentenced to 20 years on each of two additional charges of sexual assault of a child.
Tassin pled guilty to all three offenses on July 23.
Evidence presented during a sentencing hearing revealed Tassin started sexually abusing the child when they were around eight years old and continued the abuse for over 14 years.
“Tassin abused the victim on an almost daily basis and was able to keep the child quiet by convincing the child that sexual contact between an adult and child was “normal” and through grooming techniques and emotional abuse,” said the Fort Bend County District Attorney’s Office.
“The breadth and magnitude of sexual abuse in this case was hard to comprehend. All children deserve to feel safe in their homes, and Tassin betrayed his role as caretaker and protector, manipulating this child for almost fifteen years for his own sexual gain. I’m so proud of the child for their bravery in coming forward, and for helping to put Tassin where he belongs and unable to prey on any child for the rest of his life,” said Assistant District Attorney Alycia Curtis.
Curtis commended the hard work of the Meadows Place Police Department for their investigation of this case, and expressed immense gratitude to Child Advocates of Fort Bend for the therapy services the agency has provided to the victim since the time the abuse came to light.
“Betrayal on this level is accomplished by a lack of humanity,” said District Attorney Brian Middleton. “To so easily cast aside human decency, to abandon your responsibility, and to sacrifice a child’s dignity, is reprehensible. You fail that child, and you fail humanity. And when we call you to answer, we will seek justice in measures. And survivors will recover what was taken from them.”