Ex-Marine Sentenced for Sexual Assaults of Young Relative in Hewitt

Payton Kinser pleaded guilty to multiple charges in plea deal, receives 4 years in prison

Apr. 15, 2026 at 9:53pm

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An extreme close-up of a crumpled piece of paper with handwritten notes, captured with harsh, direct lighting to create a stark, investigative aesthetic that conceptually represents the sensitive nature of a sexual assault investigation.A stark, gritty close-up of evidence from a sexual assault investigation exposes the trauma and secrecy that often surrounds such crimes within families.Waco Today

A former U.S. Marine named Payton Kinser, 23, was sentenced to 4 years in prison for sexually assaulting a young family member on multiple occasions starting when she was 12 years old. Kinser pleaded guilty to 3 counts of sexual assault of a child and 1 count of injury to a child as part of a plea agreement.

Why it matters

This case highlights the ongoing issue of sexual abuse within families and the challenges victims face in coming forward, especially when the perpetrator is a trusted relative. It also raises questions about the military's handling of service members accused of such crimes.

The details

According to court records, Kinser sexually assaulted the victim, a family member, on several occasions starting in 2021 before he left for Marine Corps boot camp. The victim's mother initially told her not to report the abuse because she 'didn't want to ruin his military career.' However, the victim later reported the incidents to a school counselor in January 2022 when Kinser was home on leave.

  • In 2021, Kinser sexually assaulted the victim before leaving for Marine boot camp.
  • In January 2022, the victim reported the abuse to a school counselor when Kinser was home on leave.

The players

Payton Kinser

A 23-year-old former U.S. Marine who pleaded guilty to 3 counts of sexual assault of a child and 1 count of injury to a child for abusing a young family member.

Judge Susan Kelly

The judge of Waco's 54th State District Court who accepted Kinser's plea agreement and sentenced him to 4 years in prison.

Rebeckah Lawson

The prosecutor who stated the victim and her family were on board with the plea agreement.

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What they’re saying

“The girl is relieved she won't have to testify in court and is glad that Kinser will be under court supervision on probation after he is released.”

— Rebeckah Lawson, Prosecutor

What’s next

Kinser must serve at least 2 years in prison before being eligible for parole, and will then begin serving 10 years of probation.

The takeaway

This case highlights the ongoing issue of sexual abuse within families and the challenges victims face in coming forward, especially when the perpetrator is a trusted relative. It also raises questions about the military's handling of service members accused of such crimes.