Baytown man sentenced to life in prison for sexually abusing paraplegic child

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Steven Florez

GALVESTON COUNTY, Texas - A Baytown man, who sexually abused three young girls, including a 5-year-old paraplegic, was sentenced to life in prison without parole. 

Steven Chavez Florez was found guilty in February by a jury and sentenced on Monday by Judge Jeth Jones in Galveston County District Court. 

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According to a release, back in December 2019, Child Protective Services and the Texas City Police Department began investigating the sexual abuse of the 5-year-old paraplegic child. 

Officials said Florez was already under indictment for a 2017 child sexual abuse case involving an unrelated 9-year-old girl. 

Florez was eventually indicted for continuous sexual abuse of a child younger than 14 years of age.

A week-long jury trial began on February 13. The victim who was 5 years old at the time, testified that Florez had sex with her many times while he was dating and living with her mother. The victim from the original 2017 case, who was 9 at the time, testified that Florez touched her sexually. 

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The jury found Florez guilty of continuous sexual abuse of a child on February 17, and he decided to have the court assess punishment.

During the punishment hearing Monday, a third child victim testified Florez touched her sexually when she was 9-years old, after Florez moved in with her family when he was released from prison the previous time. 

Prosecutors argued that a sentence of life without the possibility for parole is the only way to ensure that Florez does not prey upon more children in the future. Judge Jones pronounced the sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole at the end the hearing.

Chief ADA Hilary Miller stated after the trial, "The girls spoke their truth and ultimately justice was finally served. Judge Jones’s sentence of Life without the possibility of parole will ensure that this Defendant cannot abuse another child, and our community is safer as a result."