A Texas man accused of sexually assaulting children related to him, including one girl who said the abuse went on for years, was sentenced to decades in prison, prosecutors said.
A judge handed the sentence to Michael Eric Farrell, of Seguin, on December 16, according to a news release shared Monday, January 12 by the Comal County Criminal District Attorney’s Office.
Farrell, 58, was sentenced to 40 years on a charge of aggravated sexual assault of a child under the age of 6 and to 20 years on a charge of indecency with a child under the age of 14, prosecutors said. The sentences are to be served concurrently, court records show.
His sentencing comes after a jury found him guilty at a trial in July, according to prosecutors and court records.
Farrell “is not eligible for parole on the 40-year sentence and will have to serve the entire term,” the district attorney’s office said.
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His defense attorney, Larry Dean Bloomquist, told Us Weekly on Wednesday, January 14, that Farrell “was found not guilty of several charges” and “maintains that he is innocent of all charges.”
The case against Farrell, who was arrested in May 2022, stems from when a 10-year-old girl told her mother that Farrell, her relative, repeatedly sexually assaulted her over the years, beginning when she was about 5 years old, according to prosecutors.
The girl also told her mom that the abuse happened “when she would go to visit” Farrell, according to the district attorney’s office.
Then, one of the girl’s siblings “also told their mother about abuse that had occurred to them by Farrell.”
Their mother ultimately confronted Farrell and called the authorities, leading deputies with the Comal County Sheriff’s Department to investigate.
Investigators learned that another family member, who was an adult, also accused Farrell of sexually abusing her as a child, according to prosecutors. This victim said she was sexually assaulted by him between ages 5 to 11.
“During the trial, the jury heard testimony from the first victim’s mother regarding the outcry itself and how big of a betrayal of trust this had been since she thought of Farrell as a father figure,” the district attorney’s office said.
Forensic interviewer Susan White, of the Children’s Advocacy Center, explained to jurors in the courtroom that child sexual abuse can have lifelong impacts on victims, according to the district attorney’s office.
All three victims also testified against Farrell at trial, according to prosecutors, who said Farrell ultimately accused them of lying.
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He “could not provide an adequate reason for why the girls or the family for that matter would have made up these allegations,” prosecutors said.
On January 12, Farrell motioned for a new trial, court records show. Bloomquist told Us that he also plans to file an appeal.
Seguin, where Farrell lives, is about a 35-mile drive northeast from San Antonio.
The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, a non-profit that works with law enforcement to protect children, encourages the public to report suspected child sexual exploitation.
In 2024, the organization’s online CyberTipline received more than 20.5 million tips about possible suspected child exploitation.
If you or someone you know is experiencing child abuse, call or text Child Help Hotline at 1-800-422-4453.
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