65 Years: Judge Goodwin Drops the Hammer on Sex Offender By Revoking Probation

SAN ANGELO, TX – Samuel Hal Wade was sentenced to 65 years in prison late Tuesday evening after District Judge Brad Goodwin found the 39-year-old guilty of violating the terms of his deferred adjudication on charges of aggravated sexual assault of a child. 

Wade had been on probation for over seven years after taking a plea deal in which he pleaded guilty to 3 counts of aggravated sexual assault of a child. Wade’s ex-wife accused him of molesting his two daughters ages 2 and 5. 

Wade sat quietly in the courtroom next to his girlfriend who was sobbing after he was found guilty.  After Goodwin sentenced Wade to 65 years in prison, his girlfriend fled the courthouse screaming over and over again, “My God! My God! Oh My God!” 

Wade showed little emotion throughout the hearing, wearing a light green long-sleeved shirt and blue jeans.  He displayed a calmness and confidence of a military veteran throughout the proceedings. 

Wade was in court on a motion to revoke his deferred adjudication probation.  Yesterday, Wade’s defense attorney J.W. Johnson led him through a timeline of his probation highlighted by alleged violations.  At the heart of the defense’s case was the mandatory sex offender treatment program.  Wade was required to attend the once-a-week group meetings where his attorney says he was, “forced to admit that he molested his own biologic children and nothing other than a full admission would allow him into the program.”  Johnson told the court that Wade was forced to lie and admit he was guilty again and again to meet the terms of the treatment program and was required to pass multiple polygraph tests to stay in the program. 

Wade failed three polygraph tests during treatment.

Defense attorney Johnson presented about a dozen witnesses yesterday, most of whom were sex offenders who had been in the sex offender treatment program, to detail Emelia Orosco’s allegedly heavy handed approach to treatment.  The defense witnesses and Wade himself said that Orosco demanded they attend and pay for the sessions and humiliated and threatened the participants. 

Wade’s attorney made the case that Orosco had a ‘monopoly’ on mandatory sex offender treatment in Tom Green County and that she threatened and intimidated the participants in the rehabilitation program. 

Assistant District Attorney Jason Ferguson told the court that Wade knew what he signed up for when he entered the sex offender treatment program.  In fact, Wade’s attorney placed into evidence the contract Wade signed to enter the program.  “In regards to the sex offender treatment, he signed up for it, he knew what he was getting into.” 

Ferguson said the goal of the treatment program was for there to be no more victims of sexual assault.  “If the program is hard, that’s a good thing.”  Ferguson continued emphatically, “The program should not budge to accommodate those sex offenders; they need to structure their lives around treatment.” 

The Assistant District Attorney wrapped up his closing argument, “We’re here for the motion to revoke. Did Wade violate his probation? Yes. Has he admitted to violating the conditions of his probation? Yes.  He's had his second chance. The scary part is, we’ve got a sex offender who admitted to molesting his two daughters who leaves the county, consumes alcohol and nobody knows where he is.” 

Ferguson called Wade’s actions unfathomable. The Assistant District Attorney asked the court to sentence Wade to life in prison. 

After hearing closing arguments, Judge Goodwin told the court he was going to retire to review the Pre-Sentencing Investigation or P.S.I.; 45 minutes later, Goodwin returned to the courtroom and sentenced Wade to 65 years in prison beginning immediately. 

Wade has 30 days to appeal his sentence and 90 days to request a new trial.  Wade was taken into custody and transported to the Tom Green County Jail.