BEAUMONT, Texas — A Southeast Texas man is facing up to a dozen years behind bars after pleading guilty Wednesday to indecency with a child.
Joey Kirks was facing up to at least 20 years in prison each for two indecency with a child and one aggravated sexual assault of a child charge according to testimony Wednesday morning.
Kirks, who was set to stand trial today, instead pleaded guilty to only one of the two indecency charges before Judge john Stevens in Jefferson County's Criminal District Court.
As part of a plea deal the aggravated sexual assault of a child charge and the other indecency with a child charge were dropped. Also as part of Kirks' plea his potential punishment will only be from two to 12 years in prison. Had he been found guilty by a jury he would have faced up to at least 20 years for each of all three charges.
Kirks will also have to register as a sex offender.
Stevens ordered a pre-sentencing report on Kirks and set his sentencing date for February 6, 2023.
This is a developing story. We will update with more if and when we receive more confirmed information.
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