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Lubbock man pleads guilty to sexually assaulting teenager

A 35-year-old man was sentenced to 18 years in prison on Tuesday after admitting to sexually abusing a 15-year-old girl at a family gathering five years ago.

Steve Serrato IV pleaded guilty to sexual abuse of a child, a second-degree felony punishable by two to twenty years in prison.

He must serve half of his sentence before he can be released on parole.

Serrato's confession came in the middle of a trial in which he initially pleaded not guilty to a charge of aggravated sexual assault of a child, a first-degree felony punishable by five years to life in prison.

However, Serrato announced his decision to change his plea to guilty shortly after the prosecution gave the jury its opening statements, in which they indicated that they would have to hear from a forensic scientist who found traces of Serrato's DNA on the victim and witnesses, who were 6 and 7 years old at the time and who had seen the attack.

The case against Serrato stems from a Lubbock Police investigation that began on May 5, 2019, when the 15-year-old girl told an adult family member that Serrato gave her alcohol before sexually abusing her.

A sexual assault investigation revealed biological evidence that was later linked to Serrato.

He was arrested on May 5, 2019, on an unrelated warrant and booked into the Lubbock County Detention Center, where he was later charged with sexual assault in connection with the investigation.

He was released on bail on November 24, 2019.

As part of his sentence, Serrato must register as a sex offender for life.

Prosecutor Neal Spradlin said the agreement would achieve the ends of justice and protect the victim and child witnesses from having to relive the painful incident by testifying in court.

“Eighteen years' sentence, lifetime registration on the sex offender registry and lifetime protection order for the victim is a positive outcome and now the victim and the children who saw the whole thing don't have to testify,” he said. “It's closure, the defendant admits what he did, he pleads guilty and they can move on.”

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