A mother from Lubbock confronted Jeffrey Flores, expressing that her family will always remember him as a “monster” while her son will be seen as a hero for exposing his wicked actions.
Jurors in the 140th District Court quickly reached a verdict, sentencing Flores, 49, to life in prison without parole. Earlier that day, he had been found guilty of continuous sexual abuse of a child. He was sentenced to 25 years to life in prison without parole.
The Lubbock Avalanche-Journal respects the privacy of individuals affected by sensitive issues.
Jurors determined that Flores, who chose not to testify during the trial, committed sexual abuse against the boy on multiple occasions, not limited to a 30-day timeframe.
Flores entered a plea of not guilty in response to an indictment that accused them of three instances of abuse spanning from 2015 to 2022.
After a trial that started on Monday, the verdicts were delivered. Jurors listened to the testimony of the boy, who bravely shared his experiences of sexual abuse by Flores, a family friend. The abuse occurred over a span of several years, starting when the boy was just 7 years old and would stay overnight at Flores’ house.
According to his account, he crossed paths with Flores during his early childhood while residing in the same apartment complex. He mentioned that he developed a strong bond with his son and would frequently spend the night at his place.
A 15-year-old boy recounted to jurors his first memory of abuse when he was asleep and Flores entered the room and raped him.
According to the victim, Flores allegedly reassured him by saying, “It’s just a dream,” during the reported abuse.
The abuse ceased temporarily when Flores’ family relocated to a new residence as reported by Lubbock Online.
According to reports, the sleepovers have once again taken place, unfortunately, accompanied by a continuation of the abuse. According to him, Flores instructed him to keep the abuse a secret.
The boy testified in court that Flores frequently sent him text messages, urging him to visit.
Eventually, he decided to block Flores from his phone and stopped visiting their house, without giving any explanation to his mother.
Text messages were presented to the jurors, revealing the communication between Flores and the boy’s mother. In these messages, Flores persistently requested for her son to visit, stating that his own son desired to play with hers.
The abuse came to an end in January 2022, when the boy finally returned home. He bravely confided in his mother and grandmother about the horrific incident, prompting them to immediately contact the authorities.
During the trial, it was revealed that the boy visited Flores’ house in response to a text message he received from the boy’s mother. Flores even extended an invitation to take the boy to his brother’s place for a complimentary haircut.
An expert nurse examiner testified in court about the injuries she observed on the boy, which were consistent with his statement.
Meanwhile, a swab collected from inside the boy was sent to a Texas Department of Public Safety forensic scientist, who discovered the presence of semen.
According to Jason White’s analysis of the biological evidence, there is a compelling indication that the semen found inside the boy’s anus belonged to Flores.
After only 15 minutes of deliberation, the jurors reached a verdict, finding Flores guilty as charged.
During the punishment phase of the trial, Morrow urged jurors to consider a sentence towards the lower end of the range, specifically 25 years.
According to him, the duration of the sentence would ensure that Flores, who is in poor health, remains incarcerated, keeping him away from the boy and the community. However, it would also provide the possibility of his release from prison once he reaches old age and is no longer a threat to society.