by | Published
COMAL COUNTY, TX - A Comal County jury has sentenced an Orange man to 28 years in prison after finding him guilty of sexually assaulting, strangling, and threatening his wife with a firearm during a violent attack that prosecutors described as among the most severe they have seen.
Jarid James Stout, 35, was convicted on January 9, 2026, of sexual assault, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, and assault family violence involving impeding breath or circulation. On January 12, jurors assessed punishment at 13 years for sexual assault, 15 years for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, and 10 years in prison with a $10,000 fine for the family violence charge. The jury also made an affirmative finding that a firearm was used during the aggravated assault.
Visiting Judge Robert Updegrove ordered the sexual assault sentence to run consecutively to the other two, resulting in a total prison sentence of 28 years. As a result of the conviction, Stout will be required to register as a sex offender upon release.
The case stems from an August 14, 2021, incident while the couple was vacationing in Comal County. Friends staying with the couple called 911 after the victim fled to them for help, visibly injured and terrified. According to testimony, the friends photographed the woman’s injuries and left the residence out of fear Stout would retaliate, then contacted authorities.
Deputies with the Comal County Sheriff’s Office arrived to find the victim suffering from swelling, bruising, and injuries to her head, face, and neck. She told deputies Stout struck her repeatedly, lifted her by the neck, and strangled her during an assault that began while she was showering. She said Stout dragged her into a bedroom, shoved a gun into her mouth when she tried to scream for help, and threatened to kill her.
Investigators testified the victim sustained injuries to her teeth and bruising to the back of her throat from the firearm being forced into her mouth. She also reported Stout later compelled her to apply makeup to hide her injuries, including a black eye. Deputies recovered a firearm and multiple bloody towels from the scene.
The victim told investigators Stout had a history of violent behavior, including prior assaults, and that he sexually assaulted her the night before the attack. During that assault, she testified Stout told her, “It feels like I’m raping you, but you can’t rape your wife.”
During the guilt-innocence phase of trial, prosecutors presented eight witnesses and more than 70 exhibits. Jurors heard from a forensic nurse with experience in nearly 500 sexual assault examinations, who testified the injuries in this case were among the worst she had seen. Jurors deliberated for less than two hours before unanimously returning guilty verdicts on all counts.
In the punishment phase, the State called additional witnesses, including another woman who testified she was assaulted by Stout in a separate Gillespie County case while the Comal County charges were pending. Prosecutors sought maximum sentences, while the defense requested probation. After more than two hours of deliberation, jurors returned the punishment verdict.
Assistant District Attorneys Ashley Indelicato and Jennifer Feldman prosecuted the case with assistance from investigators and victim services staff. In closing, prosecutors said the verdict sent a clear message that domestic violence and sexual assault, including within a marriage, will be met with severe consequences in Comal County.
