Diary entry leads to arrest for sexual assault

TRINITY COUNTY — According to our news partner KETK, a minor’s diary entry has been submitted as evidence following an investigation into an East Texas man accused of sexually assaulting her. On Oct. 6 investigators were made aware of a potential child sexual assault case. The department said the case involved a 15-year-old who had possibly been sexually assaulted about four or five years ago.

Deputies spoke to the mother of the child who alleged the assault occurred over the course of a few years. The victim reportedly “made an outcry to her mother after referencing a dream [she] had previously had.” Deputies were also told that multiple sexual assault accusations had been made against Justin Brandon Herring in the past, the sheriff’s office said. Warrants were obtained for Herring who was arrested on Thursday and booked on two counts of continuous sex abuse of child under the age of 14 and two counts of indecency with a child sexual contact. He is being held at the Trinity County Jail on a $600,000 bond.

The victim had previously written in her journal:

“I have something to confess that I can’t tell anyone, and I was scared what mommy would do….so…every time I think about it my stomach turns, and I get really hot, and scared, and I even start breathing really hard but…those things that [Herring] did to [redacted], he did to me,” the victim wrote.

It was noted that Herring and the victim currently do not have direct contact and live at separate residences. During a forensic interview, the victim recounted multiple instances where Herring got the victim alone beginning two months after she turned 10-years-old.