Gladewater Man Pleads Guilty, Gets 25 Years in Child Sex Abuse Case

LONGVIEW — A Gladewater man has been sentenced to 25 years in prison after pleading guilty to sexual abuse of a child younger than 14. That’s according to KETK and the Longview News-Journal. Assistant Gregg County District Attorney Madison Hood said Chesley Dean Hayes, 40, was sentenced under the 2007 Jessica’s Law that enhances punishment for continuous offenses. “The statute requires at least two or more acts of sexual abuse at least 30 days apart,” Hood said. “There is no parole; the defendant will do 25 years flat.” Hood added that Hayes was also set to plead guilty to Smith County charges that will run concurrently with this punishment.

The victim’s family attended Hayes’ plea and sentencing Friday in Judge David Brabham’s 188th District Court, Hood said. According to county records, Hayes was accused of sex crimes occurring between Jan. 1, 2013, and May 1, 2015.