A jury in Texas gave a man convicted of sexually abusing two girls for years two life sentences, plus more than 1,000 years in prison, authorities said.
Robert Benjamin Franks, 48, of San Marcos, was convicted Monday on 17 counts of continuous sexual abuse, aggravated sexual assault of a child and indecency with a child. A jury then deliberated for just over two hours before sentencing Franks to life in prison on two counts of continuous sexual abuse, 99 years for each of nine counts of aggravated sexual assault and 20 years for each of six counts of indecency with a child, Hays County District Attorney Wes Mau said.
The jury also ordered Franks to pay a fine of $120,000 in addition to the two life sentences and a total of 1,011 years in prison. Judge Jack Robison then ruled that the sentences would be served consecutively, Mau said.
“Words cannot really express the depth of the betrayal and outrage warranted by conduct like this, committed by a man who should have been caring for and protecting these children,” Mau said in a statement. “The jury’s sentence speaks more eloquently than I can to make clear how our community feels about crimes like these.”
A 9-year-old girl told her father in June 2016 that Franks had been doing “disgusting things” to her and another 10-year-old girl, both of whom were known to Franks. The 10-year-old girl initially denied being victimized by Franks, but later told authorities during a physical examination that Franks had been sexually abusing her for years, according to trial testimony.
Both victims described “remarkably similar sexual practices” done to them by Franks, Mau said.