Riddle sentenced to 60 years

Vincent Riddle of Hughes Springs was sentenced to 60 years in prison last week and ordered to pay a $10,000 fine.

Riddle was arrested on March 24 of this year and charged with aggravated sexual assault of a child under 14.

Riddle’s trial was scheduled to begin last Wednesday morning with a jury already in place, but the defense and prosecution reached a plea agreement before opening statements could begin.

The court then held a preliminary hearing regarding who the proper “outcry witness” should be.

Under Texas law, the first adult who the child told about the abuse in sufficient detail is allowed to testify about what the child told them.

The Cass County DA’s office said hearsay evidence is usually inadmissible, but Texas law allows exceptions to the hearsay rule for this certain type of testimony.

A Forensic Investigator with the Winnsboro Children’s Advocacy Center was the first adult to learn about the abuse.

The investigator testified about the details that were shared by the victim during an October 2023 investigation. The courageous victim faced her abuser in court and testified to whom she had reported the abuse to. Riddle was originally charged with continuous sexual abuse of a young child and was facing between 25 and 99 years or life in prison without the possibility of parole.

The 60-year-sentence he received is considered an “aggravated” charge and therefore Riddle will have to serve at least half of the sentence before he will be eligible for parole.

“We are thankful justice was served in this case and that we were able to resolve it with a very stiff prison sentence and with the finality and closure that a guilty plea brings,” said First Assistant Nick Ross.

“The victim is an incredibly strong and brave young girl and without her coming forward and being ready and willing to take that stand and face her abuser, this plea would not have happened. We are so proud of her and happy that she can now start the healing process.”