'Serial predator' sentenced to life for sexually abusing child starting when they were 1

PLANO, Texas (TCN) -- A 54-year-old man received a life sentence for sexually abusing the young child of a family he knew.

In an Aug. 26 news release, the Collin County District Attorney's Office said Christopher Owen was convicted of continuous sexual abuse of a child, and a jury sentenced him to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

According to prosecutors, when the victim was 7, the child came forward to their mother and claimed Owen had been sexually abusing the victim for several years. The district attorney's office noted that Owen was known to the family and had access to the child.

The victim's mother reported the abuse to the Plano Police Department, and the child provided further details. Owen reportedly confessed in an interview "to sexually abusing the child starting when the child was only 1 year old and continuing until age 6."

According to the district attorney's office, jurors also learned Owen had sexually abused two other minors, confirming he was a "serial predator, not a one-time offender." Additionally, Owen was convicted in 2010 for trying to take a weapon away from a law enforcement officer.

Collin County District Attorney Greg Willis said, "This serial predator stole the innocence of multiple children. Because of their bravery and law enforcement’s tireless work, the jury ensured he will spend the rest of his life in prison with no chance of parole."

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