BEAUMONT, Texas — A Jefferson County jury is sending a 29-year-old Beaumont man to prison for the rest of his life after finding him guilty of committing sex crimes against children.
Eandre Juwon Mott was sentenced to life in prison for continuous sexual abuse of a child as well as 20 years for sexual abuse of a child Thursday.
Mott was found guilty by the jury Wednesday after representing himself during the trial. He previously turned down a plea deal that would have given him 30 years in prison for the sexual abuse of a child charge and dropped the other case.
Prosecutor Tatiana Zelezniak asked Judge Raquel West to "stack" the sentences. West agreed and ordered that Mott's sentences run consecutively.
During closing arguments Thursday morning, Zelezniak told the jury Mott could have told them he apologized for his crimes but instead blamed his victims and their parents.
"The lack of remorse and responsibility there is completely baffling to me," she told the jury.
Zelezniak told the jury Mott and people like him are the reason parents get worried when their children go out to play.
"I'm asking for life in this case," she told the jury.
Mott declined his chance to make a closing argument in the punishment phase
Judge Raquel West told Mott at the beginning of his trial that although he had the right to defend himself, he will have Attorney Ryan Matuska available to give him advice. The judge warned him that if he decided to defend himself, she would not allow him to stop and continuously ask questions.
Mott indicated he still wished to go forward. He opted to have the jury decide his punishment instead of Judge West.
Mott is being held in the Jefferson County Jail on bonds totaling more than $300,000, according to jail records.
Police arrested Mott after they began investigating a report of underage girls being trafficked. The investigation led police to believe Mott had abused one victim continuously starting from when she was 12 years old.
The first day of trial began with Prosecutor Tatiana Zelezniak reading an indictment charging Mott with aggravated sexual assault of a child.
When Judge West asked Mott how he pleaded, he said, "Innocent, not guilty."
Zelezniak then read a second indictment indictment charging him with continuous sexual abuse of a child. When again asked how he pleaded, Mott said, "Not guilty."
During opening statement Zelezniak told the jury they would have a tough afternoon as they heard evidence in the the two cases against Mott. She said the victim is still a child and was between the ages of 12 and 13 when the alleged abuse began.
Zelezniak told the jury they will hear about videos that show the victim and Mott engaging in sexual activity, about a sexual assault exam that was done on the victim and about expert witnesses who will testify in the case.
Mott also gave an opening statement and told the jury they will hear that the victim lied about her age.
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