June 26, 2023
(McKinney, Texas) – Collin County District Attorney Greg Willis announced that Benny James Phennel, 38, of Princeton, Texas, was sentenced to 45 years in prison without parole after the jury found him guilty of Continuous Sexual Abuse of a Child. “We are proud of this child victim’s courage to disclose her abuse to an adult and to testify against her abuser. And how admirable that her motivation was to protect another child,” stated Willis after sentencing.
Phennel was an adult who was known by and had ongoing access to the victim. He sexually abused the victim over the course of two years, starting when the victim was 10 years old. The victim disclosed the abuse to family members after becoming concerned that another child was going to be spending the night with Phennel. When confronted by the victim’s family, Phennel admitted that he had “messed around” with the victim. The abuse was then reported to the Collin County Sheriff’s Office.
Collin County Sheriff’s Office Investigator Olivia Penson investigated the case. The victim was forensically interviewed at the Children’s Advocacy Center of Collin County, where she disclosed details about the abuse.
The jury found Phennel guilty of Continuous Sexual Abuse of a Child. Judge John Roach Jr. assessed punishment at 45 years in prison. By law, a sentence for Continuous Sexual Abuse of a Child is without eligibility for parole.
Assistant Criminal District Attorneys Mollie Thompson and Jamin Daly prosecuted the case, assisted by District Attorney Investigators Kim Voigt-Eanes and Stephanie Strickland, Victim Assistance Coordinator Ruth Ruiz, and Legal Secretary Christy Ware.
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