The Polk County District Attorney's Office is Relentlessly Pursuing Sex Offenders as Another Stiff Prison Sentence is Handed Down.
Mark Lewis Beamon, 41, of Livingston molested his two daughters.
30 Years Handed Down To Child Molester, LIVINGSTON, September 8, 2008 - On Tuesday September 7, 2008 at approximately 12 noon, Mark Lewis Beamon was sentenced to a 30 year prison sentence and escorted to jail for molesting his two daughters.
Following the commencement of a jury trial Tuesday in Judge Elizabeth Coker's 258th District Court, 41 year old Mark Lewis Beamon of Livingston changed his plea to "Guilty" to a grand jury indictment charging him with the first degree felony offense of Aggravated Sexual Assault of a Child. The indictment, returned by a Polk County grand jury in October of last year alleged that on August 1, 2007 Beamon had sexually molested his 12 year old daughter by digital penetration. In addition, a separate indictment alleged that Beamon had sexually assaulted his 16 year old daughter in August of last year. Jury selection took place on Monday.
After opening statements of counsel Tuesday morning, Polk County District Attorney Lee Hon called the 12 year old victim to the stand who recounted several months of ongoing fondling and molestation at the hands of her father. After the direct examination testimony of the victim, defense counsel Mike Davis approached Hon and informed him that his client wished to change his plea to "guilty" in exchange for a 30 year plea offer which had previously been extended by the prosecution. After conferring with the victim and her mother, Hon agreed to settle the case and presented the proposal to Judge Coker who approved the sentence. In addition to the 30 year sentence, the defendant also plead "Guilty" to the Sexual Assault of the 16 year old child, a second degree felony, and received a maximum 20 year sentence in prison for that offense. "I had previously offered the defendant a 25 year sentence last week with the approval of the victim and her mother," Hon said afterward. "He rejected that offer at which time I informed defense counsel that if he elected to change his plea after the commencement of trial, the recommendation would increase to 30 years," Hon stated. "I am totally satisfied that once the defendant heard the compelling testimony of his daughter before this jury, he knew that a guilty verdict was inevitable and decided to cut his losses." Beamon had previously elected to have punishment assessed by Judge Coker in the event of a guilty verdict by the jury. "I feel like this was a fair disposition of the matter," Hon commented. "By pleading guilty to both charges, the defendant spared the 12 year old victim the rigors of cross-examination and the 16 year old the prospect of having to go to trial at all," Hon stated. The defendant also waived his right to appeal the sentences. "Under current Texas parole conditions, the defendant will likely have to serve at least 85% of the 30 year sentence before he can be seriously considered for release," Hon concluded. In addition, upon release Beamon will be subject to lifetime registration as a sex offender.
This week's trial was the fourth consecutive case prosecuted by the Polk County District Attorney's Office for the sexual molestation of children. Since August of this year, sentences of 18 years, 50 years, and Life in prison have been returned by Polk County juries for sexual offenses against children in addition to the 30 and 20 year sentences received this week by Beamon.
If you would like to comment on this story, we'd love to hear from you. Your name will be listed with your comment when it's posted in the Letters to the editor.
