Child Sex Assault Defendant Found Not Guilty

LONGVIEW � According to Longview criminal defense attorney Hayward Rigano, his client Michael James Chalmers, 43, has been found not guilty of continuous sexual abuse of a child. Rigano tells KETK three charges were tried under the continuous abuse charge, which is the highest of the three felonies. As a result of the exoneration, the charges of aggravated sexual assault of a child and sexual performance by child will be dropped. “My client is very glad to be done with this,” Rigano said. The trial took place in Gregg County’s 124th District Court. A 16-year-old girl had accused Chalmers of sexually assaulting her in 2011.