Stacey Kemp, County Clerk | Dallas voice
District Attorney Greg Willis's office has successfully secured a 45-year no-parole sentence for Nathanael Lane, who was found guilty of repeated sexual assault of an 11-year-old child. The incident came to light when Lane, a 42-year-old resident of Garland, Texas, took the victim to a sleep study in Plano during July 2022. Despite being informed that the child's sleep would be video recorded for the study, Lane believed the room was too dark for his actions to be captured on camera.
The video evidence showed Lane sexually assaulting the victim. Staff members at the facility promptly contacted law enforcement, leading to an on-site interview with Lane where he admitted to the assault. In subsequent interviews, he further confessed to having assaulted the victim multiple times over several months at his home.
Detective Bryan Patten from the Plano Police Department led the investigation. The child was interviewed at the Children's Advocacy Center of Collin County and disclosed details about the abuse.
The jury found Lane guilty of Continuous Sexual Abuse of a Child, which is classified as a first-degree felony with a sentencing range between five years and life imprisonment. Judge John Roach Jr. imposed a 45-year prison term without parole eligibility as mandated by law for this offense.
District Attorney Greg Willis commented on the case saying, “Child sexual assaults often tragically unfold in the shadows. In a striking turn of events, this perpetrator's darkly evil actions were captured on video by vigilant employees - individuals who had no prior connection to the victim. They acted swiftly and responsibly, and our heartfelt gratitude extends to these courageous strangers and the ever-diligent Plano police."
Assistant Criminal District Attorneys Mollie Thompson and Wendy Correa prosecuted alongside District Attorney Investigator Kim Voigt-Eanes, Victim Assistance Coordinator Melissa White, and Legal Secretaries Christy Ware and Jessica Ledbetter.
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