FORNEY, Texas — A Forney man, who is also a registered sex offender, has been sentenced to 15 years in prison on child pornography charges.
According to Kaufman County records, 36-year-old David Wales Gathercole of Forney, Texas, was arrested and charged with possession or promotion of child pornography, a third-degree felony, in December 2018.
Gathercole's charges were later enhanced with three indictments for possession or promotion of child pornography, second-degree felonies, which brought the range of punishment from two to 10 years up to two to 20 years.
On Tuesday, November 3, 2020, Gathercole accepted a plea agreement and was sentenced to 15 years in prison. He also waived his right to an appeal, was ordered to pay a $500 fine, and $377 in court costs.
According to Texas Department of Public Safety records, Gathercole was convicted in 1996 of aggravated sexual assault of a 5-year-old child.
Gathercole remains held at the Kaufman County Jail until his eventual transfer to a Texas Department of Corrections facility.
