Texas Codes

Tex. Penal Code § 21.02 (2026)

Continuous Sexual Abuse Of Young Child Or Disabled Individual

✓ current as of May 2026

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Sec. 21.02. CONTINUOUS SEXUAL ABUSE OF YOUNG CHILD OR DISABLED INDIVIDUAL. (a) In this section:

(1) "Child" has the meaning assigned by Section 22.011(c).

(2) "Disabled individual" has the meaning assigned by Section 22.021(b).

(b) A person commits an offense if:

(1) during a period that is 30 or more days in duration, the person commits two or more acts of sexual abuse, regardless of whether the acts of sexual abuse are committed against one or more victims; and

(2) at the time of the commission of each of the acts of sexual abuse, the actor is 17 years of age or older and the victim is:

(A) a child younger than 14 years of age, regardless of whether the actor knows the age of the victim at the time of the offense; or

(B) a disabled individual.

(c) For purposes of this section, "act of sexual abuse" means any act that is a violation of one or more of the following penal laws:

(1) aggravated kidnapping under Section 20.04(a)(4), if the actor committed the offense with the intent to violate or abuse the victim sexually;

(2) indecency with a child under Section 21.11(a)(1), if the actor committed the offense in a manner other than by touching, including touching through clothing, the breast of a child;

(3) sexual assault under Section 22.011;

(4) aggravated sexual assault under Section 22.021;

(5) burglary under Section 30.02, if the offense is punishable under Subsection (d) of that section and the actor committed the offense with the intent to commit an offense listed in Subdivisions (1)-(4);

(6) sexual performance by a child under Section 43.25;

(7) trafficking of persons under Section 20A.02(a)(3), (4), (7), or (8); and

(8) compelling prostitution under Section 43.05.

(d) If a jury is the trier of fact, members of the jury are not required to agree unanimously on which specific acts of sexual abuse were committed by the defendant or the exact date when those acts were committed. The jury must agree unanimously that the defendant, during a period that is 30 or more days in duration, committed two or more acts of sexual abuse.

(e) A defendant may not be convicted in the same criminal action of an offense listed under Subsection (c) the victim of which is the same victim as a victim of the offense alleged under Subsection (b) unless the offense listed in Subsection (c):

(1) is charged in the alternative;

(2) occurred outside the period in which the offense alleged under Subsection (b) was committed; or

(3) is considered by the trier of fact to be a lesser included offense of the offense alleged under Subsection (b).

(f) A defendant may not be charged with more than one count under Subsection (b) if all of the specific acts of sexual abuse that are alleged to have been committed are alleged to have been committed against a single victim.

(g) With respect to a prosecution under this section involving only one or more victims described by Subsection (b)(2)(A), it is an affirmative defense to prosecution under this section that the actor:

(1) was not more than five years older than:

(A) the victim of the offense, if the offense is alleged to have been committed against only one victim; or

(B) the youngest victim of the offense, if the offense is alleged to have been committed against more than one victim;

(2) did not use duress, force, or a threat against a victim at the time of the commission of any of the acts of sexual abuse alleged as an element of the offense; and

(3) at the time of the commission of any of the acts of sexual abuse alleged as an element of the offense:

(A) was not required under Chapter 62, Code of Criminal Procedure, to register for life as a sex offender; or

(B) was not a person who under Chapter 62 had a reportable conviction or adjudication for an offense under this section or an act of sexual abuse as described by Subsection (c).

(h) An offense under this section is a felony of the first degree, punishable by imprisonment in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice for life, or for any term of not more than 99 years or less than 25 years.

Added by Acts 2007, 80th Leg., R.S., Ch. 593 (H.B. 8), Sec. 1.17, eff. September 1, 2007.

Amended by:

Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., R.S., Ch. 1 (S.B. 24), Sec. 6.04, eff. September 1, 2011.

Acts 2017, 85th Leg., R.S., Ch. 685 (H.B. 29), Sec. 31, eff. September 1, 2017.

Acts 2017, 85th Leg., R.S., Ch. 1038 (H.B. 1808), Sec. 2, eff. September 1, 2017.

Acts 2021, 87th Leg., R.S., Ch. 221 (H.B. 375), Sec. 1.01, eff. September 1, 2021.

Acts 2021, 87th Leg., R.S., Ch. 221 (H.B. 375), Sec. 1.02, eff. September 1, 2021.

Notes of Decisions

Cited in 1,116 cases (486 in the last 5 years), 1976–2026 · leading case: Price, Jimmy Don, 434 S.W.3d 601 (Tex. Crim. App. 2014).

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Price, Jimmy Don, 434 S.W.3d 601 (Tex. Crim. App. 2014). · cites it 11× “Tex. Penal Code Ann. § 21.02 (b)-(f) (West 2013).”

Buxton v. State, 526 S.W.3d 666 (Tex. App. 2017). · cites it 7× “Tex. Penal Code Ann. § 21.02 (b). Section 21.”

Bill Boyd Kuhn v. State, 393 S.W.3d 519 (Tex. App. 2013). · cites it 8× “See Tex. Penal Code Ann. § 21.02 (h) (West 2011) (offense punishable by imprisonment for life or any term not more than 99 years or less than 25 years); Tex.”

Smith v. State, 340 S.W.3d 41 (Tex. App. 2011). · cites it 8× “See Tex. Penal Code Ann. § 21.02 (West Supp. 2010).”

Dale Fulmer v. State, 401 S.W.3d 305 (Tex. App. 2013). · cites it 6× “Tex. Penal Code Ann. § 21.02 (West 2011).”

Render v. State, 316 S.W.3d 846 (Tex. App. 2010). · cites it 4× “Tex. Penal Code Ann. § 21.02 (Vernon Supp.”

Reckart v. State, 323 S.W.3d 588 (Tex. App. 2010). · cites it 5× “See Tex. Penal Code Ann. § 21.02 (Vernon Supp.”

Williams v. State, 305 S.W.3d 886 (Tex. App. 2010). · cites it 4× “See Tex. Penal Code Ann. § 21.02 (Vernon Supp.”

Martinez v. State, 634 S.W.2d 929 (Tex. App. 1982). · cites it 14× “See Practice Commentary, Tex.Penal Code Ann. § 21.02 (Vernon 1974).”

Carmichael v. State, 505 S.W.3d 95 (Tex. App. 2016). · cites it 3× “]” Tex. Penal Code Ann. § 21.02 (e)(2) (West 2015).”

Gregory Pollock v. State, 405 S.W.3d 396 (Tex. App. 2013). · cites it 4× “02(c)(2)-(4), (6). Here, Pollock confessed to taking between twenty and fifty nude photographs of Mary on his cell phone on three or four occasions in 2009.”

Leticia Bleil v. State, 496 S.W.3d 194 (Tex. App. 2016). · cites it 5× “See Tex. Penal Code Ann. § 21.02 (West Supp. 2015).”

Show all 1,116 citing cases →

— Tex. Penal Code § 21.02(2) — 4 cases

Chafin v. State, 95 S.W.3d 549 (Tex. App. 2003).

Rodriguez v. State, 24 S.W.3d 499 (Tex. App. 2000).

Michael Edwards v. the State of Texas (Tex. App. 2024).

Manuel Perales v. State (Tex. App. 2014).

— Tex. Penal Code § 21.02(2)(c) — 1 case

Jesus Rodriguez v. the State of Texas (Tex. App. 2025).

— Tex. Penal Code § 21.02(E) — 1 case

Raymond Casillas v. the State of Texas (Tex. App. 2025).

— Tex. Penal Code § 21.02(a) — 19 cases

United States v. Rodolfo Martinez, 962 F.2d 1161 (5th Cir. 1992).

Rivera v. State, 653 S.W.2d 119 (Tex. App. 1983).

Urdiales v. State, 751 S.W.2d 269 (Tex. App. 1988).

Mario Antonio Rivera Rivera v. State (Tex. App. 2018).

Charles Chavez v. State (Tex. App. 2018).

— Tex. Penal Code § 21.02(a)(1) — 1 case

Ruth Elaine Adkins v. State (Tex. App. 2008).

— Tex. Penal Code § 21.02(a)(2) — 2 cases

Hanks v. State, 137 S.W.3d 668 (Tex. Crim. App. 2004).

Conner v. State, 636 S.W.2d 214 (Tex. App. 1982).

— Tex. Penal Code § 21.02(a)(b)(4) — 1 case

Martinez v. State, 634 S.W.2d 929 (Tex. App. 1982). “See Practice Commentary, Tex.Penal Code Ann. § 21.02 (Vernon 1974).”

— Tex. Penal Code § 21.02(b) — 385 cases

Price, Jimmy Don, 434 S.W.3d 601 (Tex. Crim. App. 2014). “Tex. Penal Code Ann. § 21.02 (b)-(f) (West 2013).”

Amanda Bradshaw v. Barney Samuel Bradshaw, 555 S.W.3d 539 (Tex. 2018).

Sammie Caston v. State, 549 S.W.3d 601 (Tex. App. 2017).

Arteaga v. State, 521 S.W.3d 329 (Tex. Crim. App. 2017).

Brandon Robisheaux v. State, 483 S.W.3d 205 (Tex. App. 2016).

— Tex. Penal Code § 21.02(b)(1) — 69 cases

Elliott v. State, 858 S.W.2d 478 (Tex. Crim. App. 1993).

David Blake Turner v. State, 573 S.W.3d 455 (Tex. App. 2019).

Diaz v. State, 549 S.W.3d 896 (Tex. App. 2018).

Amador v. State, 696 S.W.2d 460 (Tex. App. 1985).

Aaron Philip Fernandez v. the State of Texas (Tex. App. 2023).

— Tex. Penal Code § 21.02(b)(1)(2) — 1 case

Humberto Ortiz Balderas v. the State of Texas (Tex. App. 2023).

— Tex. Penal Code § 21.02(b)(2) — 20 cases

Cesar Gomez v. State, 459 S.W.3d 651 (Tex. App. 2015).

Clark v. State, 668 S.W.2d 479 (Tex. App. 1984).

Agustin Osorio AKA Agustin Osorio-Solorzano v. State (Tex. App. 2021).

Tucker Wayne McCrea v. State (Tex. App. 2016).

Farah Elias Akell v. State (Tex. App. 2018).

— Tex. Penal Code § 21.02(b)(2)(A) — 16 cases

Leonidas Cedillo v. the State of Texas (Tex. App. 2023).

Timothy Sim Smitherman v. the State of Texas (Tex. App. 2023).

James Shelly Taylor v. the State of Texas (Tex. App. 2023).

Miguel Chavez A/K/A Miguel Angel Chavez v. the State of Texas (Tex. App. 2023).

Aaron Michael Marshall v. the State of Texas (Tex. App. 2024).

— Tex. Penal Code § 21.02(b)(3) — 2 cases

McKinney v. State, 825 S.W.2d 238 (Tex. App. 1992).

Goka v. State, 657 S.W.2d 20 (Tex. App. 1983).

— Tex. Penal Code § 21.02(b)(4) — 1 case

Martinez v. State, 634 S.W.2d 929 (Tex. App. 1982). “See Practice Commentary, Tex.Penal Code Ann. § 21.02 (Vernon 1974).”

— Tex. Penal Code § 21.02(c) — 37 cases

Price, Jimmy Don, 434 S.W.3d 601 (Tex. Crim. App. 2014). “Tex. Penal Code Ann. § 21.02 (b)-(f) (West 2013).”

Lee v. State, 537 S.W.3d 924 (Tex. Crim. App. 2017).

Soliz, Jeffery Jay, 353 S.W.3d 850 (Tex. Crim. App. 2011).

State v. Bennett, 415 S.W.3d 867 (Tex. Crim. App. 2013).

Teodora Hinojosa v. State, 555 S.W.3d 262 (Tex. App. 2018).

— Tex. Penal Code § 21.02(c)(1) — 2 cases

Luna, Eleazar (Tex. 2015).

Martin Thomas Killinger v. State (Tex. App. 2020).

— Tex. Penal Code § 21.02(c)(2) — 42 cases

Martin Thomas Killinger v. State (Tex. App. 2020).

Ex Parte Joshua Hernandez v. the State of Texas (2026).

Jesus Gonzalez, Jr. v. State (Tex. App. 2019).

Francisco Ezequiel Lopez v. the State of Texas (Tex. App. 2022).

Fernando Esquivel v. State (Tex. App. 2017).

— Tex. Penal Code § 21.02(c)(2)(3) — 1 case

Rainon Forrest Eaves v. the State of Texas (Tex. App. 2023).

— Tex. Penal Code § 21.02(c)(3) — 4 cases

Williams, Michael David (Tex. App. 2015).

Noemi Isabel Noria v. State (Tex. App. 2018).

Jason Walton Jones v. the State of Texas (Tex. App. 2021).

Leonidas Cedillo v. the State of Texas (Tex. App. 2023).

— Tex. Penal Code § 21.02(c)(4) — 16 cases

Carmichael v. State, 505 S.W.3d 95 (Tex. App. 2016). “]” Tex. Penal Code Ann. § 21.02 (e)(2) (West 2015).”

James Allen Jackson v. State, 567 S.W.3d 405 (Tex. App. 2018).

Luis Gilberto Castillo v. the State of Texas (Tex. App. 2024).

Nicholas Leon Alexander v. State (Tex. App. 2019).

Jorge Garcia Olguin v. the State of Texas (Tex. App. 2022).

— Tex. Penal Code § 21.02(c)(6) — 1 case

Bolen, Chance Douglas (Tex. App. 2015).

— Tex. Penal Code § 21.02(d) — 84 cases

Luis Arnaldo Baez v. State, 486 S.W.3d 592 (Tex. App. 2015).

Navarro v. State, 535 S.W.3d 162 (Tex. App. 2017).

Bruce Alan McMillian v. State, 388 S.W.3d 866 (Tex. App. 2012).

Stanley Gerald Champ v. the State of Texas (Tex. App. 2024).

Kenneth Walden Reel v. THE STATE OF TEXAS (Tex. App. 2024).

— Tex. Penal Code § 21.02(e) — 27 cases

Price, Jimmy Don, 434 S.W.3d 601 (Tex. Crim. App. 2014). “Tex. Penal Code Ann. § 21.02 (b)-(f) (West 2013).”

Philip Wade Ellison v. State, 425 S.W.3d 637 (Tex. App. 2014).

Soliz, Jeffery Jay, 353 S.W.3d 850 (Tex. Crim. App. 2011).

James Allen Jackson v. State, 567 S.W.3d 405 (Tex. App. 2018).

Salvador Canuto Cruz v. the State of Texas (Tex. App. 2024).

— Tex. Penal Code § 21.02(e)(1) — 1 case

Salvador Canuto Cruz v. the State of Texas (Tex. App. 2024).

— Tex. Penal Code § 21.02(e)(2) — 2 cases

Holton v. State, 487 S.W.3d 600 (Tex. App. 2015).

Leonidas Cedillo v. the State of Texas (Tex. App. 2023).

— Tex. Penal Code § 21.02(f) — 7 cases

Soliz, Jeffery Jay, 353 S.W.3d 850 (Tex. Crim. App. 2011).

Philip Wade Ellison v. State, 425 S.W.3d 637 (Tex. App. 2014).

Norman O'Neal Copeland v. State (Tex. App. 2018).

Victor Cisneros v. State (Tex. App. 2020).

Victor Cisneros v. State (Tex. App. 2021).

— Tex. Penal Code § 21.02(h) — 38 cases

Jacob Alfred Blanken v. State, 443 S.W.3d 383 (Tex. App. 2014).

Steven DeLeon v. State (Tex. App. 2015).

John Franklin Bell, Jr. v. State (Tex. App. 2019).

Enrico Guadalupe Zambrano v. State (Tex. App. 2019).

Franklin Elvin Fenley v. State (Tex. App. 2019).

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