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Former Texas GOP Leader Gets Over 400 Years in Prison for Child Sex Abuse

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Via: jbb • 6 months ago • 11 comments

By: Thomas Kika (Newsweek)

Former Texas GOP Leader Gets Over 400 Years in Prison for Child Sex Abuse

The former county official was first accused of molesting a child in 2019, prompting a further investigation.

S E E D E D C O N T E N T

By Thomas Kika Weekend Staff Writer

A former Texas GOP official was hit with over four centuries of jail time after pleading to child sexual abuse charges.

Bo Michael Dresner was arrested in April 2019 after allegations of child molestation surfaced against him. At the time, he was serving as the precinct chair and sergeant-at-arms for the Hays County Republican Party. The county is situated just southwest of Austin, with its seat being in the city of San Marcos.

In 2019, an investigation into Dresner began after a child came forward claiming that he had "sexually molested" her. Not long after it began, the local GOP official was pulled over by deputies with the Hays County Sheriff's Office en route to an airport with a one-way ticket for Armenia, a country that would not have extradited him to the U.S.

A deeper search of his possessions turned up a computer on which he had searched the internet for information about countries with no extradition agreements with the U.S. It also contained "hundreds of thousands" of child pornography images, broadening the scope of his eventual charges. Another child also came forward during the investigation to accuse Dresner of sexual abuse.

He was ultimately hit with four counts related to the abuse of the child who first accused him, and a further 61 charges of possession of child sexual abuse material with the intent to promote.

Above, a representational image of a gavel taken in a Miami, Florida, museum on February 3, 2009. A former Texas GOP county official was sentenced to over 400 years on prison after being convicted on...Above, a representational image of a gavel taken in a Miami, Florida, museum on February 3, 2009. A former Texas GOP county official was sentenced to over 400 years on prison after being convicted on numerous child sexual abuse charges. More Joe Raedle/Getty Images

After having first pleaded not guilty, Dresner switched his plea to guilty for all charges after his trial began, leading to the dismissal of the jury and changing the proceedings to a punishment hearing. Evidence presented included testimony from his daughter and another child who had previously lived in his home.

Judge Gary Steel of the 274th District Court gave Dresner a 75-year sentence for the abuse charges, according to a report from MySanAntonio, and further sentences of between 10 and 20 years each for the child pornography counts. In total, Dresner was sentenced to 410 years in prison.

In a statement about the sentence, Hays County District Attorney Kelly Higgins said that her office "will continue to work diligently to hold those who engage in sexual violence and molestation accountable."

In a statement provided to Newsweek, Catherine Schneider said Higgins' office hailed the sentencing and what it means for the victims, and praised those who took part in leading the protection.

"The 'Bo Dresner' case was the most infamous case in our office due to the sheer volume of evidence, the initial lack of investigation by law enforcement, and, most importantly, the heinous nature of the Defendant himself," the statement explained. "Kathleen 'Katie' Arnold and Catherine Schneider worked with a dedicated team of investigators, victim advocates, and legal assistants to comb through volumes of discovery from two different states. We had to gain the trust of the victims who had been let down by the system throughout the years and to organize our case in a way to highlight the abuse and manipulation of the Defendant. We are ecstatic that the Court gave a sense of security back to the victims of this case so everyone can move on and recover in peace and safety."

Dresner was previously accused of sexual assault in Minnesota by a 15-year-old in Minnesota. He later received a "reduced" sentence, according to MySanAntonio, after pleading guilty. One of the victims who testified in the current case also made allegations against him in 2012.