On Friday, May 10, 2024, Judge Evan Stubbs sentenced a Burnet County man, Zeb Warner, to 60 years in prison on one count of Continuous Sexual Abuse of a Young Child and three counts of Aggravated Sexual Assault of a Child. A Burnet County jury found the defendant guilty and then heard evidence in the punishment phase of trial before arriving at the verdicts of 60 years on each charge. The victim, a relative of Warner, suffered from various mental health ailments at the time of the abuse, including Autism Spectrum Disorder, PTSD and ADHD. Due to the nature of the charges, Warner, who is 38 years old, will not be eligible for parole. He will be 98 at the completion of his sentence.
Warner was found guilty of violating the child both orally and anally multiple times between 2020 and 2022, while the child was between the ages of 10 and 12. During the trial, the jury also heard evidence that the defendant exposed the child to a wide variety of pornography during the time the assaults took place. The survivor bravely faced his assailant while giving gut-wrenching testimony, detailing the trauma he endured, as well as recounting the emotional and psychological damage he had suffered as a result.
Assistant District Attorneys Bill Price and Carson Walker presented the case to the jury. In addition to the victim, witnesses included law enforcement personnel from Marble falls, a Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner, community partners from the Hill Country Children’s Advocacy Center, therapists and the child’s family members.
Price praised the verdict, saying, “I could not be prouder of this young man for the courage he showed in facing his assailant. I pray this verdict will help toward healing the damage Warner has caused. We could not have asked for a better jury. We hope this child’s bravery and this verdict will inspire other young victims to come forward. There are more kids out there who need to know this community cares about them and will protect them.”
District Attorney Sonny McAfee said, “This verdict and the sentence of Zeb Warner makes this county a safer community. The collective efforts of all the entities and family members involved in the case enabled Bill and Carson to effectively prosecute a violent predator. The members of the jury had to endure horrific evidence in the presentation of the case, and I applaud them in their diligence, and resolve in removing this offender from our society.”