by | Published
SAN MARCOS, TX — A 46-year-old man was sentenced to two consecutive life terms in prison without the possibility of parole after a Hays County jury convicted him of years of abuse against two young victims. James Shope was found guilty on May 7, 2026, of two counts of Continuous Sexual Abuse of a Child Under 14 and one count of Indecency with a Child by Sexual Contact.
The investigation began in August 2023 when two children came forward, disclosing that Shope had sexually abused them from the time they were in kindergarten until their pre-teen years. During the trial, the victims testified not only about the repeated assaults but also about Shope’s calculated efforts to keep them silent over the years.
Following the verdict, jurors expressed their unanimous belief in the girls' testimony and offered their sympathy for the emotional toll the trial took on them.
Hays County District Judge Joe Pool ensured Shope would never be released from custody by ordering the two life sentences to run consecutively. Additionally, Shope received 20 years’ imprisonment—the maximum available punishment—for the indecency count.
“We don’t accept this in Hays County,” Judge Pool stated while handing down the consecutive sentences.
The case was a collaborative effort between the Hays County Sheriff’s Office, led by Corporal Chase Crow, and the District Attorney’s Office. Assistant Criminal District Attorney Cassidy Story, who prosecuted the case alongside Abigail Whitaker, praised the bravery of the survivors.
“I am so proud... of the children who bravely faced the perpetrator in court," Story said in a statement. "Although no verdict will ever heal the lifelong trauma this man has caused, I sincerely hope that both children gain strength and confidence from the jury’s very clear words: ‘We believe you.’”
The prosecution team also included Annalise Baker, Zoie Sanders, Kendall Evans, and Sergeant Investigator David Cabrera.
