Texas Teacher Gets Two Life Sentences For Child Sex Abuse, Sexual Assault

A former chemistry teacher from Harrison County, Texas, has received two life sentences after pleading guilty Wednesday to two charges of aggravated sexual assault of children, prosecutors announced.

"We are pleased with the plea, and hope that the victims can continue their healing with the criminal side closed," First Assistant District Attorney Madison Hood said following the guilty plea of 41-year-old Topher James Stout.

"The victims' family and I visited multiple times in lieu of the victims having to testify, we all agreed this was the best disposition," according to Hood.

Stout, a former teacher at Longview High School, was indicted by a Harrison County grand jury in October 2020 on four counts of sexual assault of a child, two counts of aggravated assault of a child and one count of continuous sex abuse of a child younger than age 14, the Longview News-Journal reported.

He was arrested in the summer last year after police were responding to a domestic disturbance report and were told by a witness on the scene that they had personally seen Stout engaging in sexual acts with a child under the age of 14 years.

After an interview and examination at the Martin House Children's Advocacy Center, authorities learned that Stout had sexually assaulted the victim multiple times, the Marshall News Messenger said. Additional interviews revealed that Stout had sexually assaulted other children as well, KLTV reported.

"These cases are always difficult because you can’t undo the damage that has already been done, but you can seek accountability and justice. We are thankful these victims will not have to be scared or hurt anymore by Topher Stout," Hood said.

The alleged sexual assault occurred on July 9, 2020, July 1 and March 1, 2019, and December 1, 2018, according to the indictments. The alleged aggravated sexual assault of a child occurred on June 1, 2020 and November 1, 2018.

The indictments said the alleged continuous sexual abuse of a child younger than age 14 took place on or about June 1, 2017 through July 16, 2020, in a period that was 30 or more days in duration.