Man accused of molesting 3 girls since 1999 sentenced to life in prison after week-long trial

HARRIS COUNTY, Texas (KTRK) -- A man has been sentenced to life in prison by a Harris County jury after allegedly sexually assaulting three minors, District Attorney Kim Ogg announced Friday.

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Andrew Pete, 51, was convicted on two counts of aggravated sexual assault of a child under 14 after a week-long trial. He repeatedly harmed a 12-year-old girl who was a family friend's daughter after meeting them in a church in 2014, allegedly.

In 2015, the now 20-year-old made a public outcry.

"This predator attacked the children of his friends and acquaintances and even took advantage of them after meeting them in church, where they should have been safest," Ogg said. "He stole the innocence from these young girls to satisfy his own desires, and now he'll never again be a threat to any child anywhere."

Investigators also learned that Pete had a prior offense for assaulting another minor numerous times in Dallas County between 2003 and 2004. In 2015, Pete was convicted of that offense.

In 2004, Pete was accused by another victim, the daughter of a close friend, of sexual abuse in 1999 in Temple, Texas, when she was 12 years old.

Jurors heard testimony from the third victim while determining punishment for Pete, who represented himself in court.

Assistant District Attorneys Edward Appelbaum and Janna Oswald noted that Pete was out on bail in Dallas County when he committed the crimes in Harris County.

"He was a human wrecking ball going from city to city just destroying families and leaving them to pick up the pieces," Appelbaum said. "He was able to ingratiate himself with three different families and develop that trust to do the unthinkable."