Ferris man receives 150 years in prison for sexually assaulting babysitter

Photo courtesy Ellis County Sheriff's Office.

Daniel Paul Hammons, 33, of Ferris was convicted and sentenced to 150 years in prison for sexually assaulting the family's 14-year-old babysitter.

ELLIS COUNTY — On January 12, 2017, Daniel Paul Hammons, 33, of Ferris was found guilty by an Ellis County jury on two counts of Sexual Assault of a Child.The same jury sentenced Hammons to 75 years and a fine of $10,000 on each of the two counts.

Judge Cindy Ermatinger, 443rd District Court, ordered the sentences to be served consecutively, which means that Hammons received a total sentence of 150 years in prison.

The charges stemmed from a period in 2015 in which the 14-year-old victim babysat for Hammons, who was a friend of the victim's family.

The evidence at trial revealed that Hammons began grooming the child by complimenting her body, rubbing up against her, telling her about his marital problems, asking to see her breasts, and eventually engaging in sex acts with the child.

The victim would go to Hammons' home to babysit while he and his wife worked. Before he left he would take the babysitter into the children's room to clean and then engage in sex acts with the victim while his children were locked outside.

The babysitter was able to give details about the offenses including what the defendant would do to her. She was also able to describe a tattoo on Hammons' penis.

The jury also heard testimony from two other child victims who testified about inappropriate touching by the defendant. The defendant was charged with two separate sex acts with the babysitter and convicted of both counts. Hammons was previously convicted of Burglary of a Habitation, which enhanced his crimes to first degree felonies.

Hammons will not be eligible for parole until 2076, at the earliest. The case was prosecuted by Assistant Ellis County District Attorneys Ricky Sipes and Jake Heffernan.