Child sex crimes lands man in prison for next century – plus life – plus 160 years

‘Who would have known that (the courage of) a 6-year-old female would have sparked  into what ignited six other victims to come forward? Please speak up against sexual abuse because you never know how many people are depending on your voice.’ - Hardin County Assistant District Attorney Kaneshia Moore

The outcry of a 6-year-old girl in 2017 eventually resulted in a Hardin County man receiving a life sentence to Texas imprisonment – plus 160 years – for multiple child sex crimes committed against prior victims emboldened to speak out about decades of abuse in multiple communities throughout the Lone State. 

To date, charges have not been tried in court regarding the heinous acts recounted in Tyler County by the 6-year-old now five years later. 

However, Jan. 13, Hardin County 356th District Court Judge Steve Thomas handed down what is reported as the stiffest sentence ever in the county to Ronnie Lee Gordon, 64, of Silsbee. Gordon was found guilty of 10 charges, all related to sexually abusing two children. After the trial, Gordon was booked immediately into the Hardin County Jail, never to again walk free of chains or bars in this lifetime.

Assistant DA Kaneshia Moore, with assistance from Assistant DA Pamela Ibeh, prosecuted the case and presented evidence that led the jury to a unanimous guilty verdict, under the direction of Hardin County 88th District Attorney (DA) Rebecca Walton.

According to Walton, the complaining 6-year-old victim alleged crimes that took place in Tyler County. The DA noted that, on May 8, 2017, after hearing from the prepubescent victim that Gordon inappropriately touched her, the child’s mother contacted Child Protective Services and a case is currently pending in Tyler County. Walton added that two additional female victims, now adults, then spoke out about being sexually abused by Gordon from age 5 to their early teenage years.

ADA Moore said parents of the Hardin County-area child sex crimes victims had known some aspects of the allegations for years, but that knowledge never made it to law enforcement.

“It didn’t come to light until 2017, when that one child made the outcry in Tyler County,” Moore said. “Once the Tyler County case was brought to light, then my Hardin County victims came forth.”

A long time coming

Moore said prosecuting the child sex crime case wasn’t easy – victims date back nearly 30 years, and more victims were being identified even as she worked to find physical evidence to present during the trial.

“These cases are often hard because you don’t have anything physical and you don’t have anything to put up there for the jury to see,” she said. “These cases are very, very difficult.”

Added to the fact that some of the abuse dated back to 1994, adult victims have to take the stand and tell the jury about what happened to them as 5- and 6-year-olds.

Moore’s prosecution for the Hardin County court concentrated on two girls, now women, who detailed years of abuse that occurred in Silsbee, from the time the victims were very young until they were in their early teenage years.

The trial of the alleged predator commenced Jan. 9 with jury selection. DA Walton explained that jurors listened to testimony from both women, detailing years of inappropriate exposure and sexual contact by Gordon. The young victim from Tyler County, now age 12, testified about being inappropriately touched by Gordon while visiting his home and playing with his dog.

The jury also heard testimony from four additional victims, three males and a female, detailing multiple occurrences of Gordon inappropriately committing sexual acts against them as children.

Moore added that the Tyler County DA currently has a case against Gordon pending.

“Initially when I got the other two cases for the two adult victims, I wanted to see what Tyler County was going to do with their cases,” Moore said. “I wasn’t sure what they were going to do with their case; then, it became instead of holding mine, let’s go forward with ours.”

With the crimes occurring in multiple cities, to multiple victims, Moore devised a plan to seek justice for all those Gordon hurt. According to Moore, when it comes to child sex assault cases, state law allows prosecutors to present other victims who were victims as children. 

“What I did was I took my two victims here, who are now adults, and then I pulled in the other child victim from Tyler County,” Moore explained. 

Other victims were reported on Gordon’s indictment, as well. Not all complainants made it to court to point the finger against their abuser, however. Moore said one of the victims could not be reached, and there was another male family member who did not want to come forward, mainly because he’s now an adult.

“I think some of the family members did not initially believe him because he was a male,” Moore said of the reluctant witness. “I was able to get in contact with him and he was able to tell me the things that happened. 

“Slowly, as time goes on, you start hearing about other victims. By the end, I was able to get two additional male victims to come forward. I think the combination of everything was what led the jury to where it did. I don’t think each individual person would have gotten us where we needed to get.” 

At the end of the trial, the prosecution team asked the jury to convict Gordon on 10 total counts comprising charges of aggravated sexual assault of a child, profited sexual conduct, six counts of indecency with a child by sexual contact, and two counts of indecency with a child by exposure.

“When the jury came out with the guilty verdict on all 10 charges, we have a second portion where they hear more evidence, then go back to decide on the punishment,” Moore added. During this time, the prosecution laid out reasoning to sentence the now-convicted predatory senior citizen brought before them to the maximum penalty allowed by law. “When they came out the second time, they sentenced him to the maximum on everything.”

Topping off their wish list for sentencing, the DA’s office filed a motion asking the judge to stack the jury-imposed sentences on all charges. Moore recounted Gordon’s sentencing: a life sentence for aggravated sexual assault of a child, 20 years each on six counts of indecency with a child (sexual contact) and one count of prohibited sexual conduct, and 10 years each on two counts of indecency with a child (exposure).

“I put my all into it and I do my best with what I have,” she said. “I’m glad it came out the way it did.”

More victims possible

DA Walton stated most of the known victims were family members, but Gordon also had access to other children.

According to Moore, Gordon, a 1976 graduate of Silsbee High School, served as a Little League baseball coach in Silsbee, Fred and possibly in Buna, and also served over one of the leagues.

Moore said information came out during the trial that Gordon’s wife, Mary Lou Gordon, worked for Child Protective Services (CPS) for a number of years during the time her husband was abusing his victims.

Moore said Gordon’s wife worked her first two years at  CPS with children, then worked under Medical Services. Mary  Lou  now works in hospice care. 

“The initial outcry of a victim dates back to the 1980s, and it was a female that was out at the baseball field,” Moore said, although the victim was unable to be located. “I was given several names and, between myself and our investigator, we searched but were unable to locate her.”

Although most of the victims testifying during this trial, except one, were family members, Moore believes any child could have been a potential target if they were in contact with Gordon over the last 40-plus years.

“I’m afraid there are many other victims that stem back to the 1980s,” Moore said.

In the wake of a prosecution that seeks justice for crimes long suspected never to be punished, DA Walton urges others to come forward with what they know. Chief Deputy Mark Minton and the Hardin County Sheriff’s Office investigated this “cold” case, and the office is still ready to serve.

“These verdicts and sentences assure each victim that Gordon will never be able to harm another child,” Walton stated.

Moore noted with female victims fear of not being believed and fear the embarrassment of people finding out.

“I can’t express how important it is to just speak up,” Moore said. “Who would have known that (the courage of) a 6-year-old female would have sparked into what ignited six other victims to come forward?

“It’s very, very important to speak out. Please speak up against sexual abuse because you never know how many people are depending on your voice.”