BELLVILLE — District Judge Jeff Steinhauser handed down the harshest possible punishment on August 8, 2023 to a former parole officer from Victoria, Texas, for the sexual abuse of a child that occurred in Wallis, in 2015.
Saralyn Proschko, 54, pled guilty to Aggravated Sexual Assault of a Child under six years old and elected to have the judge, rather than a jury, determine her fate.
Aggravated Sexual Assault of a Child under six in Texas carries a punishment range of 25 years to 99 years or Life, with no eligibility for parole. Judge Steinhauser heard punishment evidence from the State and Defense on Aug. 7 and Aug. 8.
He then assessed Proschko's punishment at the maximum possible sentence of Life without Parole and a $10,000 fine.
Proschko also had an indictment pending against her for Possession of Child Pornography in Victoria County, Texas. As part of her Austin County plea agreement, that charge will be dismissed now that her Austin County case has been resolved.
First Assistant District Attorney Brandy Robinson presented evidence in the hearing with assistance from legal office administrator Maribel Cruz.
Evidence showed that Proschko conspired with a co-defendant, David Ray McGee, to commit at least fourteen acts of sexual abuse against a five-year-old child at McGee's home in Austin County over a four-month period.
Evidence also showed that Proschko regularly brought the child to Austin County for the sole purpose of abusing the child and that Proschko filmed the abuse with McGee.
A former co-worker of Proschko's at the Victoria Parole Office testified that in 2015, Proschko had made increasingly suspicious statements about McGee and the child.
When the co-worker heard enough to suspect that abuse was occurring, she reported her concerns to Victoria law enforcement.
Detective Timothy Ramirez of the Victoria Police Department interviewed Proschko about the report and discovered child pornography on Proschko's cell phone during the interview. This discovery led to an extensive investigation involving the Victoria Police Department, the Goliad Police Department, federal agents, the South Texas Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, and the Houston regional Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force.
Investigator Wilmer McLeroy of the Victoria Police Department testified that he performed an in-depth cell phone analysis while Investigator Christopher Hill interviewed Proschko. Both men discovered substantial evidence that Proschko had personally engaged in numerous acts of abuse in Austin County and Goliad County.
Former Fort Bend District Attorney Investigator Bruce Moats also testified.
Moats worked as the regional Internet Crimes Against Children task force liaison covering Austin County.
Moats, along with Wallis Chief David Moseley, Wallis Police, and federal of- ficers, executed arrest and search war rants on McGee's home and recovered additional evidence against Proschko's co-defendant, David McGee. Victoria police officers simultaneously executed a search warrant at Proschko's residence was in Goliad, Texas, at the time.
Moats testified extensively about text message evidence between Proschko
and McGee that reflected almost daily abuse of the child.
In 2017, McGee pled guilty to his Austin County charges of Aggravated Sexual Assault of a Child under six and Indecency with a Child. He received life without parole and a $10,000 fine follow ing a sentencing hearing before Judge Steinhauser. McGee also pled guilty to 27 years in federal prison on related federal charges of child pornography.
Proschko's case experienced several delays due to Austin County trial backlog, Covid-19, and the disposition of her charges in other jurisdictions.
Proschko previously received a 40year sentence from Goliad County on a related charge of Injury to a Child. She also received a 25-year federal sentence on a related charge of Exploitation of a Child.
Proschko remained in federal and state custody in other jurisdictions while her Austin County charge was pending.
In May of 2023, she filed a speedy tri al motion, which resulted in her being transported to Austin County from fed- eral prison for the final disposition of her Austin County case.
Attorney Stephen Longoria represented Proschko. Longoria presented evidence and witness testimony that Proschko had no previous criminal history and was considered a respected citizen and family member prior to meeting David Ray McGee.
Longoria also argued that Proschko should receive the minimum sentence since Proschko had already received lengthy sentences in her federal case and the Goliad case.
Assistant DA Robinson stated, 'According to the terms of Proschko's prior pleas in federal court and Goliad County, she would have been eligible for release on parole in 2035.'
'Considering the horrific nature of her offenses and her apparent lack of all remorse, parole was an unacceptable possibility for her.”
'Due to the thorough investigation done by state and federal officers, we were able to present overwhelming evidence of Proschko's guilt without the necessity of having the child testify,' Robinson added.
District Attorney Travis Koehn said, 'We are grateful to the citizens and of- ficers who made this sentence possible, but we regret that it was long overdue. This was the oldest case outstanding on our felony trial docket.”
'I am currently seeking additional staff from the Commissioner's Court to address our urgent need,” Koehn added.
'My felony caseload has more than doubled in the past five years, while my total number of staff has remained the same.”
