On Friday, December 2, 2022 a Fannin County Jury handed down a 13-year verdict to Brandon Chappell, a resident of Leonard, Texas. Chappell had been convicted of the first-degree felony offense of Aggravated Sexual Assault of a Child, by the jury the day before. The Aggravated Sexual Assault of a Child under the age of 14, was a lessor included of the offense of Continuous Sexual Assault of a Child. The jury heard testimony from the victim and other family members throughout the trial. Chappell, his wife, and stepchildren moved to Leonard in August of 2016. The victim, Chappell’s stepdaughter who is now 17 years old, testified the sexual abuse started sometime after the start of her 9th grade school year, and continued until her mother and Chappell separated in 2017. Leonard Police Department started their investigation in December of 2020 when the victim out cried to Chappell’s ex-wife, who reported the crime. The Fannin County Children’s Center assisted in the investigation by performing the forensic interview. After the verdict, Chappell was taken into custody and will be transported to a Texas Department of Criminal Justice facility shortly. Chappell’s conviction will require him to register as a Sex Offender for life.