Former Gilmer Pizza Hut Manager Convicted Of Child Sexual Assault

Kerry Scott Baker receives a Life sentence plus 25 years for his admitted sexual assaults on children

GILMER, TX, Feb. 6, 2009 -- Upshur District Attorney Billy Byrd today released the particulars of the guilty pleas heard from Baker by Judge Lauren Parish Friday in the 115th District Court.

Baker, 33, the former manager of the Gilmer Pizza Hut, was accused of multiple counts of Aggravated Sexual Assault of a Child in two separate cases. He waived his right to a jury trial and pled guilty to all charges. As part of a plea bargain, Judge Parish handed down a penalty of life imprisonment for one the cases, and added 25 years to Baker's term for the second.

Commenting on the case, Byrd had this to say: "These were horrible facts and this was a horrible set of circumstances with some of the most disturbing evidence I have ever seen as a prosecutor and a District Attorney.

"Baker had worked as the Gilmer Pizza Hut manager for several years. A lot of people knew him. I took my little league baseball team to eat pizza there. Sometimes things happen that people never know about. People often have the wool pulled over their eyes. One side of Baker was shown to the public, but his private life was much different."


The road to Baker's arrest and conviction started from a search warrant the FBI served in Maryland. A computer seized by federal agents in that search contained evidence that pointed to Baker.

After receiving a search warrant for Baker's residence, agents arrived to find the man downloading child pornography. Baker was then taken to the Upshur County Sheriff's Office, where he gave a statement.

Evidence recovered in the search of Baker's home included photographs and recordings of the assaults he was charged with. Kerry was arrested on August 26, 2008 and indicted on November 12th for multiple counts of Aggravated Sexual Assault of a Child.

Regarding the sentence, Byrd told the Advocate that Baker must serve at least 30 years on the Life sentence before he would be eligible for parole. If parole were granted, Baker would then start serving the 25 year sentence. Byrd said it was " Very likely he (Baker) will never walk out of prison."

Baker still faces federal charges, being indicted by a federal grand jury in December on three counts of Production of Child Pornography, Transporting Materials Involving the Sexual Exploitation of Minors and Possession of Materials Involving the Sexual Exploitation of Minors.