A Potter County jury has sentenced an Amarillo man to 25 years in prison without the possibility of parole for sexually assaulting a 3-year-old relative, the 47th District Attorney’s Office announced June 24.
The case stemmed from a January 2020 report to Amarillo police after a foster child tested positive for a sexually transmitted disease. Detectives with the department’s Special Victims Unit identified Enrique Elizalde, a family member the child had previously lived with, as a suspect.
In an interview with investigators, Elizalde admitted to sexually touching the child on one occasion while she was in his care. Following his arrest, a 13-year-old relative also reported that Elizalde had sexually abused her.
The case went to trial in June 2025 before Judge Dee Johnson in the 47th District Court, which handles felony cases in Potter County. Jurors heard testimony from APD officers, medical professionals, and family members of both the victim and defendant. They found Elizalde guilty of aggravated sexual assault of a child — a first-degree felony under Texas law — and recommended a 25-year sentence.
Because the victim was under age 6 at the time of the offense, Texas law requires Elizalde to serve the full sentence without the possibility of parole.
“Prosecuting cases with victims this young is always challenging,” the District Attorney’s Office said in a statement. “We thank the Amarillo Police Department for their thorough investigation, the medical community for their expert input, and the jury for its careful deliberation.”
District Attorney Jason Herring added, “Verdicts like this are a reminder of how seriously our community takes the obligation to protect our youngest and most vulnerable children. Our office is proud to have prosecuted this case and grateful for the jury’s verdict.”
This article originally appeared on Amarillo Globe-News: Amarillo man sentenced to 25 years for sexually assaulting 3-year-old
Reporting by Michael Cuviello, Amarillo Globe-News / Amarillo Globe-News
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