Young County Man Sentenced to Life in Child Prostitution Case
PRESS RELEASE | DISTRICT ATTORNEY’S OFFICE
After a four-day trial, a Young County jury found Lee Marvin Rains, 56 years of age, guilty of Compelling Prostitution Under the Age of 18 and sentenced him to a term of Life in the Institutional Division of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice.
Due to the nature of the crime, Mr. Rains is not eligible for early release on parole and he will have to serve at least 30 years, day for day, in prison. The trial was held in the 90th Judicial District Court with Judge Phillip C. Gregory presiding. Mr. Rains was represented at trial by defense attorneys, Cora Moore and Travis Yandell, and the State was represented by the 90th Judicial District Attorney Dee Peavy and Assistant District Attorney Jamie Petruzzi.
After entering a plea of Not Guilty to the indictment and opening statements by both sides, the State presented their witnesses including the young victim, to support its allegations during the guilt/innocence phase of the trial. At the conclusion of trial, Ms. Peavy and Assistant District Attorney, Jamie Petruzzi, addressed the jury with closing arguments, as did the defense attorneys.
After a short deliberation, the jury returned a verdict of guilty and the punishment phase of the trial began on Friday. Friday morning began with the State’s punishment witnesses and the defense’s line of punishment witnesses. Mr. Rains elected to have Judge Gregory, rather than the jury, assess punishment. The State presented evidence to prove that Mr. Rains was a “Habitual Offender” so that the punishment range would be increased from a minimum of 5 years to a minimum of 25 years. As a result, Judge Gregory had to consider a punishment range carrying a minimum sentence of 25 years and a maximum sentence of Life or 99 years. Judge Gregory sentenced the defendant to Life in prison. Ms. Peavy expressed appreciation for both verdicts and for the careful consideration that the jurors gave to all of the testimony and to all of the evidence presented at the guilt/innocence phase of trial.
She further stated, “This case should serve as a warning to those who traffic children and illegal narcotics in the 90th Judicial District. Our community does not want you here and we will work tirelessly to put you away so that you cannot prey upon our children. This case should also alert everyone to the dangers of Fentanyl. Fentanyl is in our community and it destroys lives.”
Ms. Peavy and Mrs. Petruzzi expressed their gratitude to the many local law enforcement officers who were involved in bringing Mr. Rains to justice. Specifically, they thanked Texas Ranger Michael Schraub, who led the investigation, as well as, Young County Deputy Clayton Sanderson, and, Graham Police Officers Christopher Post, David Lipsey, and Josh Hufstedler. This past June, Mr. Rains pled guilty and was convicted of Possession of a Controlled Substance – Methamphetamines in the 90th Judicial District Court in Young County. A punishment hearing was held before Judge Gregory. After the State presented its evidence, Rains was sentenced to the maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. Rains then remained an inmate in the Young County Jail for his appearance at trial in this case. Young County Sheriff Travis Babcock will soon have Mr. Rains transported to prison to serve his sentences.