ATHENS, Texas (East Texas News) – A Henderson County district judge has sentenced a Malakoff man, found guilty of sexually assaulting two minors, to five consecutive life sentences.
Judge R. Scott McKee imposed the consecutive sentences on Michael Leonard Cunningham, 42, after a two-day trial.
According to a press release from the Henderson County District Attorney’s Office, the grandmother of the two girls called Malakoff Police after the girls reported the incidents.
One of the victims testified that the abuse began when they were young and that Cunningham had given them Ecstasy.
District Attorney Jenny Palmer issued the following statement:
“The Crimes Against Minors Task Force is of great value to our community, the Henderson County agencies, and the children of our county. The collaboration among law enforcement, victim services, and the district attorney’s office is essential to ensure that these cases are handled properly, from the initial report to the final sentence. I also want to commend Sergeant Speak and Investigator Petty for their work. It takes a lot of courage for victims to report the abuse they have suffered.”
