Man fined $500 for assaulting girl

Sammie Joe Reyes, 48, of Waelder pleaded no contest to charges of assaulting a 13-year-old girl last week.
Reyes, also known as “Cornbread,” was ordered to pay a fine of $500 and court costs of $60 by Justice of the Peace Eulogio Melchor Wednesday morning during a hearing.  
“My daughter told us that he (Reyes) got her alone in a storage room, slapped her butt, touched her and pinched her,” said the child’s mother. “A fine is not enough punishment for what he has done to my daughter. I want him locked up so he can’t do it to her again or anyone else’s child.”
Waelder Police Chief Larry Dean Stamps was present during the hearing and said the punishment is limited because the assault did not fit any other criteria.
“No genitalia was touched so he was charged with simple assault,” Stamps said. “But if he does it again, that is a different story.”
Reyes was verbally ordered by Melchor to stay away from the girl and her family. According to the mother, the incident was not the first time Reyes has been inappropriate with her daughter.
“She finally told me that Reyes has been doing this to her for over a year, but she was scared to say anything about it,” the woman said. “I am so angry. Why is he getting away with this?”
According to Stamps, Reyes is not a registered sex offender in the State of Texas, and he does not know if Reyes was registered as an offender in another state.
“We don’t have that information right now,” he said.
According to the mother, Melchor called her shortly after the hearing and told her not to speak to the press about the case.
“He said that he doesn’t talk to the press or answer their questions  and that I shouldn’t either,” the woman told The Cannon.
The Cannon called Melchor’s office several times Wednesday for comment about the case and the woman’s remarks, however despite leaving messages, none of the phone calls were returned.