Liberty, TX – Jared Len Cruse has been found guilty of participating in the gang rape of an 11-year-old girl from Cleveland, Texas.
The verdict was handed down by a jury in Liberty County Wednesday. The 20-year-old faces a sentence of 25 to 99 years in prison.
Cruse is the second of 20 defendants to be tried for allegedly sexually assaulting the girl, who is now 13, over the course of four months in 2010. The first was Eric McGowen — also spelled McGowan by several news sites — who was found guilty and received a 99-year sentence.
Seven juveniles received probation for the gang rape and six adults were each given 15-year sentences after pleading guilty in exchange for plea deals.
In his closing remarks, defense attorney Steve Taylor pointed out testimony in which the girl answered “yes, sir” when asked if she was a willing participant in the assaults.
“She told you she was a willing participant, but they [the prosecution] will tell you the law doesn’t care,” he said.
Taylor also likened the victim to a spider and said she lured the suspects into her web. He said she was the reason the assaults happened.
The Houston Chronicle reported Taylor’s exchange with former Cleveland Police Sgt. Chad Langdon:
“Like the spider and the fly. Wasn’t she saying, ‘Come into my parlor, said the spider to the fly?’ ” Taylor asked.
“I wouldn’t call her a spider,” Langdon replied. “I’d say she was just an 11-year-old girl.”
“I hope nothing like this ever happens to your two teenage sons,” Taylor snapped back.
The prosecutors said they law provides no excuse for sex with children, and Langdon said she couldn’t legally give consent because of her age. The prosecution also noted that evidence in the trial included a videotape made by the participants.
“Look how proud he [Cruse] is on that video,” prosecutor Joe Warren said in closing remarks. He added that rarely in his criminal trial work can he present a video of a crime being committed.
Jared Len Cruse is already serving an eight-year sentence on unrelated convictions for assault and aggravated robbery.