Texas Man Receives Life Sentence for Assaulting a Child

A man in Hardin County has received a life sentence without parole for aggravated sexual assault of a child who was just four years old at the time of the incident.

The Arrest of Derwin Arline

In 2019, 36-year-old Derwin Bernard Arline allegedly sexually assaulted a four-year-old child in Hardin County. The child, who is now 10 years old, testified against Arline during his recent trial.

The jury was also given evidence from a separate sexual assault case involving Arline and a child in Panola County. That child, who is now 11 years old, testified against Arline as well during his trial.

The jury only took an hour to deliberate after hearing both sides of each story and delivering a guilty verdict to Arline. 

The presiding judge, Judge Steve Thomas, sentenced Arline to life in prison for aggravated sexual assault of a child without the possibility of parole. Arline also received an additional 20-year sentence for indecency with a child by sexual contact. 

What Does Crime Commonly Look Like in Hardin County, TX?

According to Crime Grade, Hardin County receives an A- in overall crime. In fact, check out this map that depicts where the crime hotspots are in the county, with red being dangerous and green being the safest:

When breaking down violent crime in Hardin County, for every 1,000 residents, 1.79 engage in assault, .83 engage in robbery, and .04 engage in murder. This brings the total violent crime rate in Hardin County, TX to 3.194 for every 1,000 residents.