MCLENNAN COUNTY, Texas — A Waco man pleaded guilty Tuesday to sexual abuse of a child and will serve 35 years in prison, according to the McLennan County District Attorney's Office.
Anthony Jennings, 40, was set to begin trial on Nov. 18, but admitted to sexually abusing a family member aged 10 to 12 for three years before the start of the trial.
The child victim has been provided a lifetime protective order against Jennings that prohibits him from having any form of contact with the victim.
Law enforcement originally indicted Jennings in 2023 for continuous sexual abuse of a child, which could sentence him to jail for no less than 25 years without a chance of parole.
The abuse often happened while the child's mother was in jail and the child's grandmother was at work.
Prosecutors offered Jennings the chance for a plea deal to avoid going to trial. The deal requires Jennings to serve 17 years before he could be considered eligible for parole.
Per the plea deal, Jennings agreed to become a registered sex offender and waive his right to an appeal.
The case was a multi-department effort involving Moody Police Department, the Texas City Police Department and Investigator David Parkinson of the McLennan County District Attorney's Office.
“We are always awed by the courage of child abuse victims who find their voice," Assistant District Attorneys Tara Avants and Jessica Washington said. "We are grateful that this victim has both received justice and shown others who are still suffering in silence that there are people ready to listen, and ready to help.”