Jury declares sex offender a 'violent predator' after conviction for many assaults against children

GALVESTON COUNTY, Texas (KTRK) -- A Galveston County jury declared a repeat child sex offender a "sexually violent predator" on Wednesday, with one expert saying this is one of the worst cases he's ever seen after an evaluation was made.

The video above is ABC13's 24/7 live stream channel.

Legal action against James Edward Jarvis was filed under the Texas Sexually Violent Predator Law, passed in 1999, to address the problem of repeat violent sex offenders who continue to pose a risk to the community.

In 1999 and 2000, Jarvis pleaded guilty to seven violent sex offenses committed against four young children in Galveston, Dallas, and Tarrant counties.

The offense included aggravated sexual assault of a child under the age of 14. Jarvis was given 40 years in prison but was approved for parole after serving more than half of the sentence.

Under the Texas Sexually Violent Predator Law, a repeat sex offender may be "civilly committed if a jury finds that the person has been convicted of more than one sexually violent offense; a sentence was imposed for at least one offense; and the person has a behavioral abnormality that makes the person likely to engage in an act of predatory sexual violence."

A psychologist and psychiatrist in the case both testified that Jarvis suffers from a behavioral abnormality.

They each diagnosed Jarvis with pedophilia and anti-social personality traits.

Dr. Michael Arambula said that he had evaluated hundreds of sex offenders and that this was one of the worst cases he had ever seen.

Galveston County officials said there is evidence that shows Jarvis has a history of non-sex felony convictions as well as other factors that increase the risk that he will offend again, including drug and alcohol abuse.

A prosecutor argued to the jury that Jarvis' pedophilia and anti-social personality traits are a dangerous combination that makes him a sexually violent predator.

Following the verdict, a judge ordered Jarvis to be committed to the custody of the Texas Civil Commitment Office for treatment upon completing his current prison sentence.

Jarvis, who officials said now identifies as a woman, denied ever sexually offending.

Jarvis will be evaluated every two years for possible release and has the legal right to petition the court at any time to be released.