Former foster parent sentenced to 40 years in prison for child pornography, child sexual assault
A Burkburnett man who was a foster father pleaded guilty Wednesday to 26 counts including child pornography and child sexual assault, according to court records.
James Robert Gonzales, 44, was sentenced to 40 years in prison Wednesday by 30th District Judge Jeff McKnight, court documents show.
Gonzales was being held Wednesday in Wichita County Jail, according to online jail records.
Texas Ranger: Burkburnett man said he had 75 images of child porn; investigators found 500
He pleaded guilty and was sentenced to the following as part of a plea bargain:
40 years each for two counts of aggravated sexual assault.
20 years each for two counts of indecency with a child.
10 years each for 17 counts of possession of child pornography.
20 years each for five counts of possession of child pornography with the intent to promote.
The sentences will run concurrently, court documents show. Gonzalez received 714 days of credit for time served in jail.
Aggravated sexual assault of a child is punishable by up to life in prison. Possession of child pornography has a maximum punishment of 10 years in prison.
Indecency with a child and possession of child pornography with the intent to promote are punishable by up to 20 years in prison.
Gonzales admitted to a Texas Ranger during an interview March 5, 2020, that he inappropriately touched a child of 4 or 5 while he and his wife fostered the child in 2012 and 2013, according to court records.
More: Burkburnett man charged with child pornography, child sex assault is former foster parent
The Texas Department of Family and Protective Services licensed Gonzales and his wife as foster parents Sept. 11, 2012, according to information the Times Record News obtained through an open records request.
They fostered two children between then and Oct. 28, 2013, when they stopped being licensed after a change in family membership, according to the Texas Department of Family and Protective Service's response to an open records request.
No disciplinary or regulatory issues were involved in closing out their foster parent license, according to the TDFPS.
Gonzales' convictions for aggravated sexual assault of a child involved another victim, a 16-year-old who was assaulted at about 6 years old in May 2009 when they stayed overnight at Gonzales' home, court records show.
His child pornography convictions stem from being caught up in a sweep in February 2020, court filings show.
He was arrested Feb. 26, 2020, when a Texas Ranger executed a search warrant at his home, court filings show.
Gonzales told the ranger he had approximately 75 child pornography images on his computer, but investigators found 500, according to court records.
Investigators found that Gonzales downloaded child pornography images and made them available to share, court documents show.
More: Police: Burkburnett man admitted sexually abusing foster child
Trish Choate, enterprise watchdog reporter for the Times Record News, covers education, courts, breaking news, politics and more. Contact Trish with news tips at tchoate@gannett.com. Her Twitter handle is @Trishapedia.
This article originally appeared on Wichita Falls Times Record News: Ex-foster parent James Gonzales sentenced to 40 years in prison
