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Travis County delivers three sentences in separate sexual assault cases

In one case, a man received a life sentence for abusing a child due to a previous conviction.

TRAVIS COUNTY, Texas — Travis County leaders this week sentenced three men in three separate sexual assault cases, one of which involved a child.

On Friday, a jury convicted 33-year-old Christopher Vidrio of aggravated sexual assault of a child, indecency of a child by contact, and indecency of a child by exposure. He received an automatic life sentence because of a prior conviction of indecency with a child by contact.

The victim testified that, in September 2013, the man sexually assaulted her on multiple occasions. She told jurors that this had been happening since she was nine years old. After two hours of deliberation, the jury returned with a guilty verdict.

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Also on Friday in the 403rd Criminal District Court, Anthony Nixon pled guilty to a second-degree charge of sexual assault. He was sentenced to six years in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice as part of a negotiated plea.

According to the Travis County District Attorney's Office, the crime occurred on April 7, 2018, after the victim said she was playing dominoes and drinking with a friend. After going to bed, she awoke to find a stranger next to her licking her ear. She said she noticed that her pants were pulled to her knees and that he was also sexually assaulting her. She said she screamed, apparently frightening him enough to leave the room. The victim said she was able to identify him later when he reached out to her on social media and through DNA samples.

Assistant District Attorney Erik Nielson commended the victim for her bravery and willingness to testify.

"Without being able to depend on her strength to face her accuser, we could not have successfully negotiated this prison sentence, which is a just result for this offense," said Nielson.

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In the 427th District Court, Morris McDonald was sentenced to 12 years in prison for a sexual assault offense. His sentence was pursuant to a negotiated guilty plea.

The sexual assault occurred on Oct. 8, 2016, according to the Travis County DA, after police responded to a North Austin apartment and found the victim. She told police that she had woken up to an unknown man in her bedroom who placed and held a pillow over her face after she yelled for help. He proceeded to sexually assault her before running and jumping off of her second-floor balcony. A sexual assault forensic exam was conducted on the victim at the time of the incident and, in October 2017, resulted in a potential match that was consistent with McDonald's DNA.

RELATED: Travis County DA facing criticism over how she handles sexual assault cases

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