A Collin County man is headed to prison for repeatedly sexually assaulting a teen while living in her family's home.
According to the Collin County District Attorney's Office, 43-year-old Gregory William Lee, of Plano, was living in the same household as the 16-year-old girl he would end up victimizing, though officials did not disclose the nature of the man's relationship to the family or how he came to be living at the residence.
In a news release issued Tuesday, the Collin County District Attorney's Office said that shortly before the girl's 16th birthday Lee became increasingly interested in the girl and began questioning her about boyfriends. After her 16th birthday, the DA said Lee would enter the teen's room and lock the door before threatening and sexually assaulting her.
When she tried to fight back, the DA said, Lee would put his hands around her throat, use a pillow to muffle her screams and threaten her life.
The district attorney said that after one attack the girl told Lee she wanted to kill herself and that Lee responded by handing her a gun and encouraging her to do so.
The DA said the assaults continued until the girl graduated high school.
Upon graduation the teen joined the military and cut off communication with the man, though she remained in communication with her mother and younger brother, who, presumably, also lived in the home.
The district attorney said that in the fall of 2012 the teen learned Lee planned to visit her over Thanksgiving and, "terrified at the prospect of seeing him again, she talked to her superior officer about her fears and the abuse." The girl's SO reported the abuse and the military began an investigation that was ultimately turned over to the Plano Police Department.
That investigation led to Lee's arrest and his being charged with one count of aggravated sexual assault of a child and five counts of aggravated sexual assault of an adult (for the assaults that took place after she turned 17).
A Collin County jury found Lee guilty and, through a plea deal that included the blessing of the victim, Lee was sentenced to 35 years behind bars for each of the six assault charges. The sentences will run concurrently and Lee will have to serve only half of his 35 year sentence before being eligible for parole.
