A Beaumont man stood before Judge Raquel West on March 24, claiming he was “trying to help the child” he admitted to sexually abusing, asking the court to accept his plea agreement for deferred probation, despite an extensive criminal history and the fact that he sexually assaulted the young girl while on supervised federal release.
Attorney Thomas Burbank, on behalf of defendant Andrew Jackson, 50, of Beaumont, stood before West with a plea agreement that would cap the sentence at 8 years, requesting deferred probation.
“He doesn’t take any responsibility despite pleading guilty … says he didn’t remember or didn’t do it,” prosecutor Preston Hoffpauir argued. “Deferred, I believe, is totally insufficient,” especially since Jackson had been on probation multiple times in multiple counties and was on supervised release on federal charges with this crime occurred.
“He has a long federal and state criminal history – he needs every bit of the 8 years,” Hoffpauir said firmly.
“My biggest question is why a cap of 8 years, with all of that,” asked West, eliciting a response indicating the agreement materialized on the day Jackson was set for trial. West turned her attention to the defendant.
“Mr. Jackson … this cap of 8 years for your criminal history and what you did … is, in my opinion, extremely low,” West said, adding that she understood parties are reluctant to endure a trial that would put undue stress on a child. However, Jackson’s assertion of memory loss regarding his crimes was not going to suffice for the hearing at hand.
“You don’t want me to believe really that you don’t remember doing these things to her, right,” West asked Jackson, to which he replied, “No ma’am.”
“I recall I was on medication, and I was trying to help the child and it just went bad,” Jackson added before a stunned judge.
“This is about to go really bad for you. I don’t have to accept this plea agreement, a jury can hear that and give you 25 to life because that’s what it looks like your criminal history should be,” West said, then ordered the defendant to take a seat in the jury box while the prosecutor spoke to the victim’s family one last time before sentencing. “Visit with them, come back and tell me if that’s what they want me to do,” West directed the prosecutor.
Facing five felony charges: three counts of sexual assault of a child, continued sexual abuse of a child under 14, and online solicitation of a minor, Jackson was indicted on March 29, 2023 for crimes that allegedly occurred between 2020 and 2022, in Jefferson and Jasper counties.
According to the probable cause affidavit for Jackson’s arrest dated Oct. 19, 2022, Beaumont Police Department Special Crimes Det. Daniel Norsworthy investigated the case of a 14-year-old female brought to a doctor by her parent after being caught speaking to an older man on the phone; the child was thought to have had a sexual relationship with the father of one of her friends, identified later as Jackson.
The victim was reported and later recovered as a missing/runaway in 2022, which led to her identifying Jackson as the accused when she was found near his home, in a location which he had given her access to hide and was under his control.
The victim reportedly told police that, from the age of 12 until she was discovered in 2022, she and Jackson had participated in sexual activities while at various locations.
Digital evidence revealed the victim and Jackson to have been in contact and to have location data consistent with paths of travel to the victim’s home, communication in which Jackson solicited the child to meet with the intent to engage in sexual contact, and evidence that the sexual acts did occur.
Jackson’s criminal history includes multiple felony convictions for drug crimes and unauthorized use of vehicle on the state level, as well as a five-count federal conviction for possession with the intent to distribute large amounts of cocaine and marijuana out of the Southern District of Texas. Lastly, Jackson currently has pending federal drug charges within the Eastern District.
“In light of circumstances, they would rather go to trial than allow eight years,” Hoffpauir said upon return from speaking to the victim and family.
West rejected the plea agreement, instructing Jackson and attorney Burbank to prepare for trial. If found guilty, Jackson faces 25 years to life in prison.