EPISODE 1
Child sexual abuser gets a sweetheart deal
Paxton's Office Offered Waco Attorney Adam Hoffman, Accused Of Continuous Sexual Abuse Of A Child, A Plea Deal Of One Day's Time Served And No Sex Offender Registration — A Deal The Presiding Judge Rejected As Too Lenient Before Ultimately Accepting A 60-Day Jail Sentence Paxton's Office Offered Waco Attorney Adam Hoffman, Accused Of Continuous Sexual Abuse Of A Child, A Plea Deal Of One Day's Time Served And No Sex Offender Registration. “As part of the indecent assault plea, Hoffman agreed to make a statement that he ‘did then and there, with the intent to arouse or gratify my sexual desire, touch genitals of [the victim, identified by initials] … and I acted without the complainant’s consent.’ Crucially, Hoffman was legally admitting to abusing an individual whose age is not specified in the plea documents. That crime does not require him to register as a sex offender. And prosecutors were agreeing to a jail sentence of ‘time served,’ which included the one day in jail Hoffman had spent following his initial arrest before he bonded out.” [Texas Tribune, 5/19/26]
An Initial Attempt To Prosecute Hoffman Ended In A Mistrial When Jurors Could Not Agree On A Verdict. “In the end, jurors could not deliver a verdict. ‘Deliberations are not productive at this point,’ the lead juror wrote in a note to the judge after the jury had deliberated for nine hours. The note also said that five jurors were leaning toward a ‘not guilty’ verdict, while seven felt that the boy’s testimony, as well as that of forensic experts, ‘were enough to prove guilt.’” [Texas Tribune, 5/19/26]
The Victim, A Child, Did Not Want To Be Retraumatized By Testifying Again In A New Trial. “Prosecutors were left with three options – dismiss the case, negotiate a plea agreement or take the case to trial again, which would have required the victim to take the witness stand once more. ‘It was horrible,’ his mother recalled in an interview. Her son had been forced to talk about ‘the most horrible things that have ever happened in his life, in a room full of strangers and the person that did it, and he didn’t want to do it again.’” [Texas Tribune, 5/19/26]
The Initial Plea Deal Contained A Jail Sentence Of Time Served, Which Was Just One Day—But The Judge Overseeing The Case Upped It To 60 Days. “And prosecutors were agreeing to a jail sentence of ‘time served,’ which included the one day in jail Hoffman had spent following his initial arrest before he bonded out. […] ‘My inclination is not to accept a one-day sentence,’ Sparkman said, before calling a short recess. When everyone returned, Cantu pitched a new agreement: Hoffman would spend 30 days in jail and surrender his Texas law license. She also noted there was a ‘lifetime protective order’ barring him from any contact with the victim. […] ‘No,’ she answered, adding, ‘It’s just not enough. He’s dangerous. This isn’t justice, and I can’t do it.’ Sparkman asked her why her answer had changed. ‘My son just still doesn’t want to testify again, but 30 days isn’t enough,’ she responded. Sparkman responded by upping the sentence to 60 days. Hoffman’s defense lawyer accepted the deal on the spot.” [Texas Tribune, 5/19/26]
Hoffman was represented by Gerry Morris – the same attorney who represented Paxton donor Nate Paul – which Cornyn’s campaign cited as evidence that connected people get special treatment from Paxton’s office.
Hoffman’s Defense Attorney, Gerry Morris, Also Represented Nate Paul. “As it turns out, Hoffman was being represented by Gerry Morris, the same attorney who represented Paxton donor Nate Paul. Paul, a Texas real estate developer, reached a plea deal in a federal fraud case last year stemming from a years-long investigation into false statements made to secure loans in 2017 and 2018, according to reporting from KVUE.” [5/07/26]
Cornyn’s Campaign Claimed That Hoffman Received A Good Deal From The AG’s Office Because Of He Was Connected To Paxton Through Morris. “Three years of child abuse. Ken Paxton’s office cut the predator a deal. And the attorney defending him? The same lawyer connected to Paxton's donor, Nate Paul. How many more connected people get special treatment before Texans say enough?” [X, 5/07/26]
Activist for victims of sexual violence: Paxton “has failed miserably to protect the victims who have trusted him to fight for them”
Activist For Victims Of Sexual Violence: Paxton “Has Failed Miserably To Protect The Victims Who Have Trusted Him To Fight For Them.” “Ken Paxton has failed. He failed the Waco community, and he’s failed Texans. I don’t say that lightly — and it brings me no pleasure to write those words. But it’s the truth. As a survivor of sexual assault, I know firsthand the trauma that victims go through and the struggles that they must endure. Victims of sexual violence feel as if they have been stripped of their God-given dignity and innocence, and it leaves many with emotional scars that are difficult to overcome. It is tough enough to go through something as life-altering as sexual assault, but if the victim courageously comes forward and reports their traumatic experience to authorities, they have hope that they can count on those in positions of authority to protect them and fight for them. In the case of Paxton, he has failed miserably to protect the victims who have trusted him to fight for them.” [Washington Examiner, 5/22/26]