WICHITA FALLS (KFDX/KJTL) — A Wichita Falls man was sentenced to prison after he pleaded guilty to sexual assaults of a 14-year-old girl while driving her to school and also in a house while her family was gone.

Eladio De La Cruz was sentenced to eight years in prison in 30th District Court on Friday, October 27, 2023.

Police responded to the girl’s school in September 2022 after receiving a report of possible sexual abuse and talked with the girl. A forensic interview was arranged and later took place at Patsy’s House.

During the interview, the victim said the assaults began a few months earlier. She said the suspect, whom she identified as De La Cruz, takes her to school in the morning.

The victim said the first incident occurred when De La Cruz took her to school. The victim told the forensic interviewer she was afraid to resist when De La Cruz told her to get close to him and began touching her.

According to the victim, another incident occurred on September 10, 2022. The victim said De La Cruz had arrived at her house while the rest of her family was at a football game.

She told authorities De La Cruz told her to get into bed, and she again complied out of fear. She said De La Cruz assaulted her and that she told him to stop.

The victim then told authorities of another incident that had occurred earlier that day.

The victim said De La Cruz made her touch him; then he assaulted her. She said De La Cruz warned her not to tell anyone about their “secret” and said he’d give her money.