CONROE, TX- On September 18, Nicholas Aaron Bates, 21, of New Caney, was sentenced to a total of 40 years in prison after being found guilty of four counts of Possession of Child Pornography by a jury in the 359th District Court, Judge Mary Ann Turner presiding. Bates also pleaded guilty to two related felony drug charges and a misdemeanor Assault / Family Violence.

The case began on July 18, 2022, when Montgomery County Sheriff’s deputies responded to a domestic violence call involving Bates. Deputies stopped and arrested Bates in his vehicle near the incident location. During the arrest, deputies discovered several pounds of marijuana and THC in the backseat of Bates’ car. He was initially charged with Assault / Family Violence and two counts of Manufacturing or Delivery of a Controlled Substance.

Upon consent, Bates’s cell phone was searched by a Montgomery County Narcotics detective, who discovered hundreds of images and videos of child pornography, some involving victims as young as toddlers. The case was then referred to the Montgomery County Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force for further investigation.

The Montgomery County District Attorney’s Digital Forensics Unit analyzed the phone, uncovering evidence linking Bates to the child sexual abuse material. Subsequently, the District Attorney filed four charges of Possession of Child Pornography against Bates.

After less than an hour of deliberation, the jury returned guilty verdicts on all four counts. During the punishment phase, additional evidence was presented, including testimony from a former girlfriend about multiple instances of domestic violence perpetrated by Bates. The jury also heard recordings of Bates’ jail phone calls, where he made disturbing statements such as, “I always have f***ing murder on my mind” and “If they could read my mind, they would never let me out.”

Based on the evidence, the jury assessed punishment of the maximum of 10 years in prison for each of the four counts of Possession of Child Pornography. Judge Mary Ann Turner ordered the sentences to be served consecutively, resulting in a total of 40 years imprisonment. Bates also received five years for each drug charge and one year for the Assault Family Violence charge, to be served concurrently.

Chief Prosecutor Chris Seufert said, “This defendant was a one-man crime wave and a major menace to society. When he said that if we knew what he was thinking, we would never let him out of jail, we all believed him. And then we all did what needed to be done. A special thank you to Judge Turner and our common- sense Montgomery County jury for making sure this defendant will not be hurting anyone any time soon”

District Attorney Brett Ligon said, “The defendant’s crimes were intentional, predatory and depraved. When he returns back to society, if he ever does, it will be a different world than when he went in. I hope that in three or four decades from now when he is paroled that he remembers how Montgomery County citizens care for their victims and deplore their victimizers.”