Kevin Ray Larsson of Gilmer pleaded guilty in 402nd District Court to the felony offenses of aggravated sexual assault of a child (one count) and indecency with a child sexual contact (two counts) committed against his adopted children.

He was sentenced to 30 years in state prison and ordered to pay a $2,800 fine. As part of his plea, Larsson also acknowledged his guilt for an additional offense of aggravated sexual assault of a child and multiple additional counts of indecency with a child by sexual contact. 

A lifetime protective order was granted for all of Larsson’s nine adopted children, and he is prohibited from having any contact with or coming within 200 yards of any of the children for the remainder of his life. Larsson will also have to register as a sex offender for life.

In 2018, the Wood County Sheriff’s Office began investigating Larsson after an outcry of sexual abuse was made by one of his adopted children. The child stated that Larsson had sexually assaulted her when she was five years old.

The investigation continued into 2023, after numerous outcries were made by other children of Larsson. At least six of Larsson’s adopted children said Larsson had sexually abused them by touching their genital areas or sexually assaulting them. Larsson admitted that he had in fact engaged in inappropriate sexual contact with one of the children.

“This case is a horrible tragedy for these children,” said District Attorney Angela Albers. “They were adopted by this man and he was supposed to care for, provide for, and nurture them. Instead, he turned into a monster and committed heinous actions against them that they are still suffering the effects of to this day. My office had numerous conversations with the victims and the victims’ mother and discussed the probability of the children being retraumatized by the effects of having to testify against the defendant in a jury trial. The victims agreed to the terms of this plea bargain and made it clear they wanted to put this monster behind them and move on with their lives.”