Ahead of the 90th Texas Legislative Session, Guadalupe County Sheriff Joshua Ray is calling on state lawmakers to strengthen penalties for sex offenders and individuals convicted of sexual assault.
Last week, the Guadalupe County Sheriff’s Office posted on Facebook that Ray had submitted formal recommendations to state lawmakers representing Guadalupe County, calling for tougher penalties for people who commit sexual offenses.
Ray was sworn into office in January 2025 and has more than 24 years of law enforcement experience as a Texas Ranger. He has also served with the Texas Department of Public Safety as a special agent in the Criminal Investigations Division and as a Texas Highway Patrol trooper.
Ray’s proposals to lawmakers include:
- Raising indecency with a child from a second- or third-degree felony to a first-degree felony.
- Raising sexual assault offenses from a second-degree felony, punishable by two to 20 years in prison, to a first-degree felony, punishable by five to 99 years or life in prison.
- Raising sexual assault of a child from a second-degree felony to a capital felony, which could result in life without parole.
- Raising the affirmative defense age from 14 to 16, meaning a 14-year-old could not legally consent under the proposed change.
“I’ve sat across the table from these families. I’ve watched offenders receive sentences that insulted the children who testified against them. What a sexual predator takes cannot be given back,” Ray said. “We owe it to our families to hold sexual predators accountable. We owe it to our children to protect them.”
Ray said he sent a packet containing “exact statutory language and legal analysis” to state Sen. Donna Campbell, state Rep. Alan Schoolcraft, state Sen. Judith Zaffrini, and State Sen. Roland Gutierrez.
Ray is also urging residents to contact the lawmakers and tell them they support increasing penalties for sexual offenses.
KENS 5 interviewed Ray about his proposals, including his call for harsher penalties for offenders who sexually abuse children. Ray said he believes those convicted of such crimes should spend the rest of their lives in prison.
“Capital felony can be death penalty or life in prison, but I’m of the belief if you hurt a child in that way, the least we can do is put you in prison the rest of your life,” he said.
In the Guadalupe County Sheriff’s Office Facebook post, Ray said some offenders have served only a few years before returning to their communities, while others have received probation.
“Texas law allows this, and it is an injustice to victims who may carry it for the rest of their lives. I’m asking the Legislature to fix it. Other states have already raised their penalties. It’s time for Texas to do the same.”
“We can do better than this in Texas. Let’s get it done,” Ray concluded.
The 90th Legislative Session is scheduled to begin Jan. 12, 2027.
