A Texas man will spend the rest of his life behind bars after a jury heard how he continued to sexually exploit a child even while locked up awaiting trial for murder.
Anthony Dewayne Taylor, 46, of Frisco, was sentenced to life in prison after being convicted of sexual performance of a child, culminating a case that revealed the disturbing extent of his predatory behavior spanning multiple states.
“This convicted murderer continued to prey on a child even from behind bars. A Collin County jury saw the full picture and delivered the only sentence that protects the public and our children – life in prison,” prosecutors stated following the sentencing.
A Career Criminal’s New Victim
Taylor’s crimes against the child began shortly after he was paroled from an Oklahoma prison in 2020, where he had been serving time for drug trafficking. A confirmed gang member with a lengthy criminal record, Taylor managed to gain access to the 14-year-old victim through her family connections, according to officials with the Collin County District Attorney’s Office.
What followed was a two-year campaign of abuse that stretched across multiple states and cities. The victim remained trapped in this cycle until December 2022, when she finally disclosed the ongoing abuse to her family, prompting an immediate investigation by Frisco Police.
But the most shocking aspect of the case? Taylor continued his exploitation even after being jailed for an entirely different crime.
Exploitation From Behind Bars
By October 2022, Taylor was in custody in Oklahoma City, awaiting trial for murder. Most inmates might focus on their defense, but Taylor had other priorities. Jail phone records documented numerous calls in which he directed the underage victim to engage in lewd acts.
These recorded calls would later become crucial evidence in the Collin County case against him. Investigators obtained the recordings after the victim’s disclosure, providing jurors with disturbing, firsthand evidence of Taylor’s continued manipulation of the child.
How could someone facing murder charges still find ways to victimize a child? The case highlighted both the predatory determination of the defendant and the vulnerability of his victim.
A History of Violence
During the sentencing phase, jurors learned that Taylor’s criminal history stretched back to 1999, painting a picture of escalating severity. In December 2024, Taylor pleaded guilty to the Oklahoma City murder charge that had landed him in jail during the recorded phone calls, receiving a 10-year prison sentence followed by 20 years of parole.
After hearing testimony about Taylor’s extensive criminal background, the Collin County jury delivered their verdict: life imprisonment and a $10,000 fine for the sexual performance of a child conviction.
The life sentence effectively ensures Taylor will remain incarcerated well beyond the term of his murder conviction, reflecting the jury’s assessment of the danger he poses to society — particularly to vulnerable children.
For the young victim, who endured two years of abuse that continued even when her abuser was behind bars, the sentence represents a measure of justice in a case that prosecutors described as particularly disturbing even among sex crimes cases.
