Wink sexual assault

KERMIT One of the five suspects charged with the sexual assault of a Kermit teen in Wink pleaded guilty to an unrelated charge in a deal with the district attorney.

Jason "Iceman" Vaught was sentenced to five years in a state prison after he pleaded guilty to possessing a prohibited weapon in an incident more than a year ago where he gave an explosive device to a police officer last year, district attorney Mike Fostel said Thursday.

As part of the plea, Vaught's sentence for that charge was extended, but he would not have the engaging in organized criminal activity conviction on his record in connection to the Sept. 21 sexual assault, meaning he will not have to go on the sexual offender registry, attorney Alfredo Soza said.

"All and all I think it was a very good plea," Soza said. "He could have gotten 15 to 20 years. I was feeling from around the area they were very outraged on what occurred."

Deputy Chief George Keely of the Winkler County Sheriff's Office said Vaught, 35 will remain at the Winkler County jail for the next four to six weeks until the state transfers him to a yet-undetermined state prison.

According to sheriff's investigators, Vaught and his stepbrother JoJo Taylor spent the morning of Sept. 21 at Anthony Lee Bishop's and Pam White's house, 500 N. Rosey Dodd Ave. in Wink. Fostel said Vaught acted as a lookout while Joel Hernandez and Bishop, who is White's son, were sexually assaulting and then beating a 16-year-old Kermit girl with a club in Bishop's room.

The girl was hospitalized in Lubbock after the assault. She was since released, but Fostel said she suffered brain damage that has affected her memory.

"Her mother told me (she) can't remember things they teach her at school," Fostel said. "I've known her since she was a little girl it's just a sad thing."

The Other Suspects

Trial dates for Bishop, Hernandez, White and Taylor have not been set yet, Fostel said. All four of them were still held at the Winkler County Jail.

Fostel released further details on what he believed was White's role in the assault. He said even though Taylor and Vaught were lookouts, White opened the door to Bishop's room while Bishop and Hernandez were assaulting the teen. Along with the two Wink High School Students, White was also indicted for an aggravated sexual assault charge. Taylor and Vaught had lesser charges.

"She knew what the boys were going to do," Fostel said. "She (White) peeked in the door. She said the girl was crying, saying ‘I'm a virgin, please no'.... That's why Pam White is not only charged with criminal conspiracy but the rape as well."