He was sentenced to 20 years on each count to be served concurrently. Wilkerson was the assistant chief of police at the Cut and Shoot Police Department at the time the charges were filed against him, authorities said. Cut and Shoot is located 45 miles north of Houston.
1 DEAD IN TEXAS, MORE FLIGHT CANCELLED AS NATIONWIDE ICE STORM RAGES ON
Norman Wilkerson, 59, a former Texas assistant police chief, was sentenced to 20 years for sexually assaulting children over a six-year period. (Montgomery County Sheriff's Office)
"I suspect this man thought he would never be accountable for his crimes, but justice, though it came slowly, came with certainty. I suspect he also believed that his position in law enforcement would somehow protect him, but now he knows that no occupation of any kind will ever excuse the execution of justice when it arrives," said Montgomery County District Attorney Brett Ligon, FOX Houston reported.
Authorities began investigating Wilkerson after an anonymous letter was sent to multiple law enforcement agencies detailing the abuse. A Montgomery County Sheriff's detective found victims living across the country who corroborated the sexual abuse, Ligon said.
Additional victims came forward after Wilkerson was charged.
"For decades, these victims wondered if a police officer in such a position of power would ever pay for what he did to them as children," prosecutor Lisa Stewart said. "Now, as they described, they can finally live their lives free of the fear that he will be hurting more children."
Multiple victims were present on Jan. 26 when Wilkerson pleaded guilty to the charges against him, Ligon's office said.