41-Year-Old Child Predator Given Probation for Guilty Plea

A 41-year-old San Angelo man who sent repeated homosexual and explicit text messages to a minor boy over at least a month was sentenced to 10 years probation on March 10, after pleading guilty to one charge of online solicitation of a minor sexual conduct.

Mark Edward Valadez was indicted on the second-degree felony charge in October, one of six men indicted on child crimes that month, after detectives obtained a search warrant and found messages asking the boy to meet and “party”.

According to a complaint filed with the case, Valadez sent messages on May 16 and June 15 asking the boy, under 17, if he is ready to “party”, which the victim stated he knew meant to engage in sexual contact.

A search warrant on Valadez’s cell phone executed after the victim’s outcry turned up additional texts in which Valadez solicited the boy to meet and engage in sexual contact, sexual intercourse or deviate sexual intercourse, the complaint states.

An evidentiary search and arrest warrant was executed on June 23, and Valadez was arrested in his home. Jail records indicate that following the arrest by TxDPS, Valadez was booked for online solicitation of a minor sexual contact, sexual assault of a child and possession PG2.

Valadez was given a $25,000 bond on both of the sex charges and $1,000 bond on the possession charge. He bonded out on June 26. Valadez’s criminal history reflects two public intoxication charges, one in 2009 and one in 2011.

After confessing to the crime in court on Tuesday, a conviction was deferred and Valadez was put on probation for 10 years, the maximum allowable. Should he complete the probation without violations, the charge will no longer be on his record.

Valadez was also ordered to complete 240 hours of community service by March 10, 2018 with the graffiti response team or spend 30 days in jail.