SAN MARCOS – A Kyle man has been sentenced to a total of 52 years in prison for sexually assaulting his girlfriend’s young daughter.

Jacob Earl Shirejian, 44, was sentenced Monday, Jan. 8 on two first-degree felony counts of aggravated sexual assault of a child and two second-degree felony counts of indecency with a child by sexual contact. The evidence at trial showed that the victim in the case was as young as 6 or 7 years old when the assaults began. The victim kept the abuse a secret until she was a teenager; charges were filed after she told an adult about the assaults, according to a news release.

Shirejian was found guilty on all four counts by a Hays County jury on Nov. 7, 2023. The defendant elected to have the court assess punishment and the case was reset for sentencing, the release stated.

On Monday, Jan. 8, 2024 District Judge Tanner Neidhardt sentenced Shirejian to two consecutive sentences of eight years on the indecency counts and two consecutive sentences of 18 years on the aggravated sexual assault counts. Because the sentences are consecutive, or “stacked,” Shirejian must serve each sentence before the next sentence will begin.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant Criminal District Attorneys Jon English and Sean Szlachtowski.

“There is nothing more evil or more reprehensible than those who prey on children,” said Kelly Higgins, criminal district attorney for Hays County. “My office will continue to prosecute these cases to the fullest extent of the law. We will continue to defend those who can’t defend themselves.”