JASPER, Texas — A Jasper police officer, who has been on paid administrative leave since his arrest last year on a charge of sexual assault of a child in Lufkin, has now been indicted by the Angelina County grand jury on that same charge.
Meanwhile, the Jasper City Council has scheduled a special called meeting on Monday evening to make a decision on his job status.
According to Jasper Police Lieutenant Garrett Foster, grand jurors indicted 37-year-old Billy Joe “B.J.” Murphy on Tuesday. This comes after Murphy was arrested in November of 2017, and a probable cause affidavit filed by Texas Ranger Brian Brazil said that he allegedly sexually assaulted a 15-year-old girl in her home, and then allegedly threatened to harm her parents if she told anyone about the crime.
Murphy has been free from jail on a $75,000 bond since shortly after his arrest.
The Jasper City Council will convene in a special called meeting on Monday, April 2 at 5 p.m. According to the agenda, they will retire into executive session, and back in open session will vote on Murphy’s employment status.
Murphy, who has now been employed by the Jasper Police Department for approximately 18 months, was the second officer in the department to be charged with sexual assault of a child last year in just a two month time span.
In October of 2017, Lacie Jackson was indicted by the Sabine County Grand Jury on a charge of sexual assault of a child. Jackson is accused of touching a private area of a girl less than 17 years of age in February of 2016. The alleged incident was said to have occurred prior to her employment with the Jasper Police Department.
Jackson, who also served as a patrol officer, was terminated by Chief Gerald Hall on Nov. 2, 2017, after she was indicted.
Source: http://kfdm.com/news/local/jasper-police-officer-indicted-for-sexual-assault-of-a-child