On February 9, 2024, Bowie County Sheriff Deputies arrested 36-year-old Chester Ray Stuart Jr of New Boston, Texas for sexual abuse of a child.
The Bowie County Sheriff's Office had been investigating Stuart since December 12, 2023 when they became aware of the abuse.
According to an arrest affidavit, Stuart began showing his friend's 8-year-old daughter pornography. That little girl is now a teen.
An adult relative of the child observed concerning behavior exhibited by Stuart. According to the witness, Stuart would frequently enters the child's bedroom and close the door behind him, raising suspicions about their interactions. Moreover, the witness had noticed instances where Stuart would take the child to the store unaccompanied, further fueling their apprehension. To investigate further, the relative checked the child's phone and discovered sexually explicit text messages sent by Stuart.
Stuart has been charged with Sex Abuse of Child Continuous: Victim Under 14 and is being held at the Bi-State Detention Center on a $100,000 bond.
