by | Published
COMAL COUNTY, Texas—A Comal County jury has sentenced Brandon Dmichael Lively, 34, of Harker Heights, to life in prison without the possibility of parole for Continuous Sexual Abuse of a Young Child.
The investigation began on November 8, 2022, when a 12-year-old victim reported to her mother that she and a family member of the same age were being sexually abused and threatened by a man they had met on the social media platform Omegle. The victims' mother immediately contacted the New Braunfels Police Department.
According to forensic interviews, the suspect, identifying himself as "Brandon," posed as a government employee to gain the victims' trust. He then used multiple online accounts to manipulate and threaten them, demanding they perform sexual acts on camera and threatening to release nude photos if they did not comply. A forensic download of the victims' phones corroborated their accounts and revealed messages where Lively threatened to commit violent sexual acts and claimed to know where they lived.
An investigation by the New Braunfels Police Department and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) identified Lively as the individual operating all the accounts. When a search warrant was executed at his home, Lively confessed to the abuse. Detectives also found over 4,000 images and videos of child pornography on his devices.
During the trial, a third victim, identified through the investigation, also testified. Both the victims and prosecutors recounted how Lively terrorized them, including by using a "countdown" method to pressure them into complying with his demands.
Chief Felony Prosecutor Sammy McCrary and District Attorney Jennifer Tharp prosecuted the case. Tharp told the jury, "He chose life. He chose the sentence. Every time he counted down, he chose life."
