Ex-Waco Attorney Pleads Guilty to Reduced Charges in Sexual Abuse Case

Adam Hoffman will serve 30 days in jail and lose his law license for at least 5 years after pleading guilty to indecent assault and displaying harmful material to a minor.

Apr. 16, 2026 at 8:51pm

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An extreme close-up photograph of a pair of handcuffs against a pitch-black background, lit by a harsh, direct camera flash, conveying a sense of gritty, investigative justice without depicting any violence or victims.The harsh flash of a camera captures the cold, unyielding reality of justice in a case of sexual abuse.Waco Today

Former Waco attorney Adam Hoffman, who was facing life in prison without parole on charges he sexually abused his son's best friend for three years, pleaded guilty to two reduced charges on Thursday in exchange for a 30-day jail sentence. Hoffman pleaded guilty to indecent assault and displaying harmful material to a minor, both Class A misdemeanors, after his trial on first-degree felony continuous sexual abuse of a young child charges ended in a mistrial in 2025.

Why it matters

The plea deal, offered by the Texas Attorney General's Office, has drawn criticism from the victim's mother, who is disappointed Hoffman is not facing prison time. However, she said it was important for her son to hear Hoffman admit guilt after he denied the allegations and called her son a liar at the first trial.

The details

Under the terms of the deal, Hoffman will forfeit his law license for at least five years and be under a lifetime ban on future contact with his teenage victim. He will not be required to register as a sex offender. The displaying harmful material charge stems from Hoffman showing the boy sexually explicit videos on his tablet.

  • Hoffman's trial on first-degree felony continuous sexual abuse of a young child charges ended in a mistrial in June 2025.
  • Hoffman was set to stand trial again on April 27, 2026 until he worked out the plea deal with the AG's office.
  • Hoffman will begin serving his 30-day jail sentence on April 27, 2026.

The players

Adam Hoffman

A former Waco attorney who pleaded guilty to indecent assault and displaying harmful material to a minor charges in exchange for a 30-day jail sentence.

Ken Paxton

The Texas Attorney General whose office offered the plea deal to Hoffman.

Josh Tetens

The McLennan County District Attorney who recused his office from prosecuting the case against Hoffman.

Brenda Cantu

An Assistant Attorney General who defended the plea deal in court.

Roy Sparkman

The visiting judge who initially balked at the plea deal and delayed formal sentencing.

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What they’re saying

“So we are going from a first degree felony to Class A misdemeanors with one day served? Seriously? Someone needs to sell me on this because I've got a big problem with only one day.”

— Roy Sparkman, Visiting Judge

“My son had no reason to lie. It flipped our lives upside down. It was devastating. But he was my hero. In my eyes he became a man that day. It set him free and it gave him a little bit of a smile back.”

— Victim's Mother

“He is a narcissist. This is probably the absolute only way on this Earth that Adam Hoffman would say out of his mouth, 'I am guilty, I did it.' If he was found guilty by a jury, he would say for the rest of his life, 'I didn't do it.' This way, my son's ears heard, 'I'm guilty. I did it', and that means everything.”

— Victim's Mother

What’s next

The judge will formally sentence Hoffman on April 27, 2026, the same day he is set to begin serving his 30-day jail sentence.

The takeaway

This case highlights concerns about plea deals that reduce serious charges, especially in cases involving the sexual abuse of minors. While the victim's mother is disappointed Hoffman is not facing prison time, she is grateful he was forced to admit his guilt, which she says was important for her son's healing process.