Multiple Cases of Sexual Abuse of a Child Turn Up Against a Tyler Man

TYLER — Smith County authorities have turned up additional cases against a man arrested earlier this year for sexual abuse of a child. He is Rance Kevin Lusby, 59. The first incident is said to have occurred in 2010 while Lusby was doing landscape work for a family. Detectives then discovered there were two separate incidents reported to the Smith County Sheriff’s Office in reference to Lusby who had been accused of similar acts of sexual abuse against two other children. They were said to have occurred in 2010 against a 3 year old female and 2011 against a 3 year old boy. These two cases were investigated previously but were subsequently suspended due to lack of sufficient evidence. As the investigation continued, more evidence surfaced and Lusby was arrested back in April.

Later, as Lusby was being interviewed, he is said to have admitted to sexually assaulting the initial victim in this case along with the female child from the incident reported in 2010. Rance continued to advise the assigned detective that he sexually abused several other children while living in Smith County from around the years of 2006-2010. He provided names of six other children in which he sexually abused. Soon, more children came forward.

As it now stands, a total of 11 children, ranging in ages in between 1 year old through around 8 years old, were found to have been sexually abused by Lusby. He is currently being held in the Smith County Jail on the charge of continuous sexual abuse of a child or children as well as a parole violation. As the investigation continues, Lusby is pending trial in the 114th State District Court in Tyler.