Venson convicted on two counts

The Cass County District Attorney’s office issued a press release on January 21 announcing the conviction of Dillon Austin Venson.

According to the release, On Friday, January 17, 2025, a Cass County jury convicted Dillon Austin Venson, 24, of Pocahontas, AR, of two counts of Indecency with a Child by Contact. After conviction, the jury assessed the maximum sentence of 20 years in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice – Institutional Division, along with a $10,000 fine, on each charge.

The case was tried by Cass County First Assistant District Attorney, Nick Ross, and Assistant District Attorney, Mason Blaylock. Venson was represented by Texarkana attorney, Josh Potter. Venson went to trial on two counts of Indecency with a Child by Contact and one count of Aggravated Sexual Assault of a Child.

The jury found him not guilty on the aggravated charge and guilty on the two indecency charges. “The evidence showed that during the Spring and Summer of 2023, the defendant and his fiancé visited the victim (pseudonym: Rose) and her family at their home in Queen City, TX. In the first incident, Rose, who was younger than 14 years of age, woke up to the defendant touching her leg and moving his hand to her private area.

He continued and proceeded to touch her private area over her underwear. On another occasion, while Rose and the defendant were watching a movie in the family living room, the Defendant tried to touch her again. Rose testified that she was able to get up and leave the room before Venson went any further. In the third and final incident, the Defendant grabbed Rose’s hand and forced her to touch his private part.

As is common for child victims of sexual abuse, Rose did not come forward immediately and report the abuse. Rose’s mother later found a text message from Rose to the defendant telling him he needed to focus on his fiancé rather than herself. When Rose’s mother asked about the message, Rose told her that the defendant had been putting his hands down her pants. Law enforcement was called and Rose was taken to the Texarkana Children’s Advocacy Center where a forensic interview was conducted.

During the interview, Rose made an outcry that detailed several acts of sexual abuse. At trial, both Rose and her mother testified about the relationship between Venson and the family, the messages that were found, and messages made by Venson after the inappropriate conduct was discovered. Investigators with the Cass County Sheriff’s Department also testified about the investigation, including the fact that messages from Snapchat were not able to be recovered. Two witnesses from the Texarkana Children’s Advocacy Center – Maureen Fletcher and Shane Roach – testified about the child’s outcry and timeline of events, as well as the trauma Rose suffered due to the abuse.

In the defense case, the Defendant and the Defendant’s fiancé testified. The jury deliberated for approximately six hours on the three charges before ultimately reaching their verdicts. The Court immediately proceeded to the sentencing phase of the trial. During punishment, the State called Rose’s mother back to the stand, and she expressed gratitude to the jury for finding the defendant guilty as well as expressed her desire that the defendant receive a harsh punishment.

The defense called the defendant’s fiancé who pleaded for leniency. The defendant did not have any prior criminal history, but because Rose was

u See REVIEW page 5 under 14 years old at the time of the abuse, the Defendant was not eligible for probation. After closing arguments, the jury deliberated for approximately 20 minutes before assessing punishment at 20 years in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice –Institutional Division and a $10,000 fine on each charge.

The State requested that the sentences be served consecutively, and since the two acts Venson committed occurred on separate days in separate incidents, 5th District Judge Bill Miller granted the request. The defendant was sentenced to a total of 40 years in prison and will not be eligible for parole until he’s served at least half of that time.

“This case is a prime example of how difficult it is for child victims to come forward about the abuse they are suffering, especially when they know it will tear their family apart. And on top of that, the process of coming forward and having to deal with the criminal case is not easy and causes additional trauma. But we are extremely grateful and proud of Rose for having the courage to come forward and face her abuser in court and let the jury know what he did. Because of her, there is one less child predator on the streets,” said Assistant District Attorney Nick Ross.

“We are also grateful to law enforcement and the Texarkana Children’s Advocacy Center for all they do for child victims and to make sure their voices are heard.”