Buna Man Sentenced to 48 Years for Continuous Sexual Abuse of a Child

File Photo | Booking photo of Jacob Connally from a prior arrest.

A Jasper County jury sentenced Jacob R. Connally, of Buna, to 48 years in prison Thursday afternoon after finding him guilty of the continuous sexual abuse of a child — a charge that carries one of the highest minimum penalties in Texas law.

The guilty verdict came after jurors deliberated for less than 45 minutes. They returned later the same afternoon with the 48-year sentence.

Prosecutors allege the abuse occurred between 2018 and 2020, when the victim was under the age of 14. During opening remarks, Assistant District Attorney Jewel Marsh told jurors:

“Every little girl wants a protector. He was not that daddy. He broke a sacred trust continuously over a two year period.”

Defense attorney Marcus Wilkerson of Beaumont countered that the allegations stemmed from a chaotic home environment involving drug use, domestic violence, and conflict with Connally’s ex-wife.

Throughout the trial, jurors listened to testimony from multiple witnesses, including:

• The victim, who was recalled Thursday morning for additional questions.

• Connally’s ex-wife, who answered detailed questioning from both sides about locations, timing, and family dynamics.

• Forensic interviewer Jennifer Luna of Garth House, who conducted the recorded interview with the victim when she was 16. Luna explained the neutral interview process and testified that the girl’s account appeared to come from memory rather than coaching.

• The defendant’s son, who said he never saw or heard abuse but admitted he may have been asleep when incidents occurred.

• Connally’s mother, also called by the defense.

Defense questioning focused heavily on inconsistencies in dates and memories, while Luna emphasized that gaps are common in trauma disclosures and do not automatically signal fabrication.

The state rested its case around 11:00 a.m. Thursday, having recalled both the victim and Connally’s ex-wife before concluding their presentation.

After closing arguments, the jury needed less than an hour to reach the guilty verdict. The punishment phase began that afternoon, and the same jury assessed a 48-year prison sentence.

Connally was taken into custody following sentencing and will be transferred to the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. Under Texas law, the offense of continuous sexual abuse of a young child requires a minimum sentence of 25 years, with no option for probation and no early parole eligibility until at least half the sentence has been served.