A 36-year-old Texas man was sentenced to 70 years in prison on Wednesday after a jury found him guilty on two counts of harassment of a public servant after spitting at Lubbock Police officers following his arrest in May 2022.
Prosecutor Jessica Gorman told EverythingLubbock.com that in May 2022, police arrested Larry Pearson in connection with a domestic violence incident after a victim stopped an officer to report the alleged assault.
Pearson, according to the victim, was armed with a gun and had repeatedly hit her. Gorman, on the other hand, stated that the suspect was later discovered to be in possession of an airsoft gun. According to a police report, the victim suffered “multiple visible” facial injuries.
According to Gorman, after being arrested and placed in an officer’s car, the suspect began kicking at the door and spat at two officers when they asked him to stop. Pearson continued spitting after being taken to the Lubbock County Detention Center, according to the prosecutor.
She also told EverythingLubbock.com. that Pearson had initially been convicted of aggravated robbery and constant family violence, which could have resulted in a minimum sentence of 25 years due to his previous convictions.
“You’re not going to get 70 years for something like this when you’ve never been in trouble before,” Gorman said.
Prior to his conviction, Gorman asked the jury in her closing argument to consider a prison sentence that would “send a message” to Pearson as well as society. “If you’re going to live a criminal life, you’re going to do it with other criminals [in prison],” Gorman said in her closing argument.
Pearson’s defense attorney, Jim Shaw, told the jury, however, that the suspect’s punishment was for a “simple misdemeanor” in an incident that “out of control.”