A Wood County jury has convicted Chastin Lane Eslinger, 25, of Fruitvale of sexual assault, a second degree felony, in 402nd District Court in Quitman on Wednesday, Aug. 7.

He was sentenced to 15 years in state prison.

The assault of a 17-year-old female occurred May 5, 2020 at the Budget Inn in Mineola, and Eslinger was indicted on two counts June 29, 2022.

During the punishment phase, jurors learned Eslinger has been convicted of theft in 2022 in Van Zandt County and that he had assaulted a 14-year-old in Grand Saline in 2018.

District Attorney Angela Albers said, “The defendant is a clear and present danger to society and the sentence handed down reflects that. The defendant is a violent man who has already sexually assaulted two teenage girls. He committed a heinous crime against a young female in our county, and he was held accountable for his actions. I hope these verdicts bring the victim some peace and she is able to move on and live her life to the fullest.”

Assistant DAs Shauna Key and Logan Sawyer prosecuted the case.