Bonner sentenced for sexual assault

BY MATTHEW YBARRA

Managing editor

ANDERSON - A 42-year-old Navasota man who impregnated a 15-year-old was sentenced Wednesday, Aug. 17, to 10 years in prison.

On April 8, Mace Travis Bonner pled guilty to sexual assault of a child, a 2nd degree felony before 506th District Judge Gary Chaney. Bonner requested a sentence hearing to assess his punishment.

Navasota Police Department received information from Child Protective Services that a 16-year-old was pregnant and the reported father was 40-yearold Bonner. Navasota Investigator Travis Mullins began investigating the alleged abuse and determined the victim was 15 when she was impregnated. Grimes County District Attorney Investigator, John Wren, interviewed Bonner and obtained a confession. The location of the assault was determined to be at an apartment in Navasota.

The sentence hearing was held Aug. 17, with Grimes County Assistant District Attorney David Armbruster prosecuting the case. During the hearing Investigator Wren detailed the facts of the case and the confession by Bonner. Probation Officer Katrina Dewalt testified regarding the pre-sentencing findings. Bonner was sentence by Chaney and immediately taken into custody.

“Sexual abuse of a child is something our office takes very seriously,” explained Assistant DA Armbruster. “When a 40-year-old man sexually assaults a 15-yearold child, the appropriate punishment is incarceration in prison. That is the position of our office. That is the sentiment Grimes County juries have consistently echoed for many years with their verdicts on child sexual abuse cases.”

Bonner will be required to register as a sex-offender for the remainder of his life in the State of Texas.