Ahead of Anthony Patterson's sex crimes trial, defense and prosecution launch flurry of requests
Editor’s Note: If you know or suspect that anyone under 18 is being sexually or physically abused, call the Texas child abuse hotline at 1-800-252-5400. To learn more about how to identify signs of child abuse or neglect, click here.
As an Oct. 12 hearing approaches for Anthony Ryan Patterson, a flurry of court filings seeks to summon witnesses and information, as well as introduce a long list of disturbing allegations against the former Wichita Falls business leader during his upcoming trial.
Patterson, 47, is scheduled to go on trial Oct. 30 in Fort Worth. It is not clear yet exactly which of the many child trafficking and child sex crimes allegations he will stand trial for during two weeks in a seventh-floor courtroom at the Tim Curry Criminal Justice Center.
The Wichita County District Attorney's Office special victims unit chief, Brooke Grona-Robb, put Patterson's defense attorneys on notice the prosecution may introduce a laundry list of often alarming extraneous offenses during Patterson's trial.
Dating as far back as 1995 and Patterson's college days, they are "crimes, wrongs or acts" that fall outside of the indictment against him. Some aim to show a pattern of behavior.
Anyone accused of a crime is presumed innocent until proven guilty in court. Patterson has entered not guilty pleas to the allegations against him.
The list of additional offenses Grona-Robb filed Sept. 28 in 78th District Court includes these allegations:
From around Nov. 1, 1995, to the present, Patterson possessed pornography and searched for it to the point of addiction.
On April 7, 1996, he abused alcohol in Taylor County.
On Nov. 18, 1995, he violated Abilene Christian University's student policies on pornography.
On May 15, 2004, he sexually assaulted a child in Wichita County, lied about his age and texted with a child while pretending to be a teenager.
On May 15, 2005, he sexually assaulted a child in Wichita County. He gave her alcohol and $300, and he told her he was sorry.
From about May 1, 2012, to now, he sought partners to simulate sex with children and in the presence of children in Wichita County. He has also claimed he has had sex with children. In addition, he has wanted his sex partners to blaspheme Jesus.
From about May 1, 2012, to now, he has used phone and online sex chatting services, and searched in online groups for “underage” people in Wichita County.
From Sept. 1, 2014, to now, he has paid for sex, engaging in blasphemy sex and simulating the presence of children during sex in Wichita County.
From May 1, 2012, to August 2018, he was a Big Brother to a child and spokesperson for Big Brothers Big Sisters in Wichita County while also engaging in paid-for online and phone sex involving fantasizing about sex with children. He and his father's auto group gave over $60,000 to the nonprofit organization, and he served on its board from 2009 to Aug. 9, 2018. He was honored as Big Brother of the Year for the BBBS Lone Star Region in January 2016.
From May 1, 2012, to August 2018, while engaging in online and phone sex involving children, he also made big donations to organizations supporting kids, such as the WFISD Foundation, Boys and Girls Club and the YMCA. His donations promoted trust of him and provided access to children in the community.
On May 27, 2012, he claimed he made a 5-year-old engage in bestiality.
On Nov. 18, 2017, he committed sexual performance by a child in Wichita County, causing two children to engage in sexual conduct. He also solicited a minor for aggravated sexual assault and indecency with a child. And he committed aggravated sexual assault of a child. With a Bible on hand, he told two children to blaspheme Jesus. He also provided alcohol to a minor.
On Dec. 23, 2017, the defendant committed sexual performance by a child in Wichita County.
On Sept. 4, 2019, he gave Jandreani Dashimella Bell a false written statement, telling her how to lie about an alleged offense in Wichita County. The Vernon woman is accused of being his accomplice in some allegations by providing him with children to sexually abuse. He also tampered with and bribed a witness, Bell, by paying her bail bonds and her legal fees to control her testimony and the investigation against him.
Between Feb. 21, 2020, and July 7, 2020, he committed adultery and cheated on his wife and girlfriend.
More: Wichita Falls father's search for his missing preschool-age son becomes more urgent
More: New defense lawyer retained in James Staley's appeal of conviction for Wilder's murder
Patterson's bail exceeds $2 million, according to online jail records. He was free Thursday from the Wichita County Detention Center on cash bonds.
More: Woman claims Anthony Patterson sexually assaulted her when she was a teen
Witnesses who may testify at the Oct. 12 hearing include Denise Roberts, executive director of the Patsy's House Children's Advocacy Center and Nancy Laws.
Several applications for subpoenas for witnesses to testify in the trial have also been submitted.
Trish Choate, enterprise watchdog reporter for the Times Record News, covers education, courts, breaking news and more. Contact Trish with news tips at tchoate@gannett.com. Read her recent work here. Her X handle is @Trishapedia.
This article originally appeared on Wichita Falls Times Record News: Anthony Patterson's child sex crimes trial coming up
