Man to take plea deal regarding sexual assault at Texas theatre

CW: This story contains details of sexual assault

A former employee at the Wichita Theatre in Wichita Falls is expected to accept a plea deal regarding the allegations that he sexually assaulted a 15-year-old girl at the theater. Josiah Alan Derbyshire was charged with sexual assault of a child in connection with an incident in July 2018.

Derbyshire, who was 26 at the time and listed an address in Fort Worth, was charged with sexual assault of a child after a Crime Stoppers tip led to his arrest. He had left the theater by the time he was charged.

According to court affidavits filed in the case, the victim told interviewers at Patsy’s House Children's Advocacy Center Derbyshire had texted her and asked her to meet him at the theater. The victim said Derbyshire spoke to her about his marital problems.

As the victim exited the room, she said Derbyshire grabbed her, pulled her back, and began to sexually assault her. The victim told investigators she told Derbyshire "no" during the assault, but he did not stop.

A search warrant was executed at the Wichita Theatre, and investigators used the victim's map to find the scene. According to the warrant, the room and its contents were what the victim described.

Surveillance footage also showed the victim and Derbyshire entering and exiting the area leading to the upstairs balcony. A warrant for his arrest was issued on Friday, August 3, 2018.

The deal calls for five years of deferred adjudication-community supervision in exchange for a guilty plea. In this type of probation, if a defendant successfully serves his term of probation, he can avoid having a conviction on his record and have it wiped.