Child predator sentenced to 20 years
EXAMINER FILE
ANDERSON — A College Station man who deceived teenage girls by lying about his name and age then sexually assaulted them was given the max sentence March 5.
Renato Vargas Arenas, 25, pleaded guilty to Sexual Assault of a Child, a second–degree felony April 25, 2024. Arenas requested a sentence hearing in front of 506th District Judge Gary Chaney. The hearing was held March 5, 2025.
Grimes County Assistant District Attorney, Meagan Ghormley, presented evidence of two separate Sexual Assault of a Child cases that originated in Brazos County. Both victims testified that they met Arenas through Snapchat, a social media platform, when they were 14 years old.
Arenas lied to the victims about his name and age saying he was a teenager. Both victims were assaulted multiple times.
In the Brazos Valley case, Ghormley presented testimony from a Brazos County Deputy Constable who caught Arenas engaged in one of the sexual assaults in Brazos County. A probation officer also testified about a presentence investigation that suggested incarceration in prison as an appropriate punishment for Arenas.
The Grimes County victim also testified stating she also met Arenas on Snapchat when she was 14 and he lied about his name and age. He assaulted her multiple times. Arenas was on bond with an ankle monitor when he assaulted the Grimes County victim.
Chaney sentenced Arenas to the max prison sentence of 20 years. “I am very proud of the three victims that testified today,” Ghormley said. “I am also grateful to law enforcement for their work on this case. The Navasota Police Department was able to work with the Grimes County victim and catch the defendant while he was going to her home in the middle of the night. The prison sentence is appropriate for the defendant’s predatory behavior.”
Arenas remains in the Grimes County Jail awaiting transfer to the Texas Department of Criminal Justice.