By Gloria Way
The legal proceedings for the three Anahuac residents who were charged in the summer of 2022 with various charges involving sexual assault of a child has finally concluded. Last week in Galveston, visiting Judge Robert Trapp accepted the plea from Terrin Van Deventer for “enticing child away from custodian with intent to commit felony”. Van Deventer was the third and last defendant to appear before the court.
Several months ago, Michael Kreuzer and Ethan Traxler both pleaded guilty to lesser degrees of sexual assault of a child. As part of their pleas, Kreuzer and Traxler are now registered sex offenders. In her plea, Van Deventer does not have to register as a sex offender which is confusing, as the victim who was 16 years old at the time, testified under oath, and not denied by the other defendants, that Van Deventer had sexual relations with Kreuzer with the victim present in the same vehicle. During Kreuzer’s plea hearing, the victim testified that Kreuzer and Van Deventer engaged in sexual activity with Kreuzer “looking her in the eyes” as Van Deventer performed sex acts on him.
The original charges filed against Van Deventer were (1) trafficking and sexual exploitation, 20A.027, PC, first degree felony; (2) indecency with child exposes, and (3) indecency with child expose, 21.11, PC. Those charges were dismissed as she pleaded guilty to enticing child away from custodian with intent to commit felony.
Van Deventer is ordered to (1) be confined in the county jail for 60 days on weekends every second and fourth weekend from 6pm Fridays until 6pm Sunday, beginning January 10, 2025 with credit for all time previously served; (2) pay court costs of $285, and (3) pay fine of $1,500.