Lee Ray Boykin Jr. (U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Texas), Judge George C. Hanks Jr. (U.S. District Court)
A disgraced Texas trooper convicted of sexually assaulting women during traffic stops in Houston was sentenced to 43 years in prison after the presiding judge called his victim-blaming "repugnant" and his attempts at remorse little more than "crocodile tears."
A federal jury convicted 34-year-old Lee Ray Boykin Jr., a former Texas Department of Public Safety officer, in January on four of five indicted counts, specifically two counts for using his status as a trooper to deprive two women of their bodily integrity and two counts for destruction, alteration or falsification of records in a federal investigation.
When the federal case first arose, it was alleged in a detailed and graphic complaint that Boykin committed two sexual assaults over the course of a week in August 2020, in each case threatening women to comply with his illicit demands or else face active warrants.
Victim # 1 told authorities that she and her "common-law husband of 19 years" were panhandling on Aug. 7, 2020, before she got into a friend's car for a ride to an Express Inn. Boykin, in his trooper vehicle, pulled over the vehicle. He accused the victim of being a prostitute and the driver of being a "John."
Thereafter, Boykin told Victim # 1 that there was a warrant out for her arrest.
"If you have a warrant, then take me to jail," the victim answered, according to the complaint.
Instead of taking her to jail, Boykin turned off his bodycam audio, told the victim to "shut up," and told her "you're going to suck my d—."
"Victim # 1 stated BOYKIN Jr. drove to a back parking lot at 10700 North Freeway and parked by a green dumpster," the complaint said, adding that Boykin then made sure his body camera lens wasn't recording what he did next.
"BOYKIN Jr. unzipped his pants and produced his penis. BOYKIN Jr. grabbed Victim # 1's head and forced it towards his penis for her to perform oral sex. Victim # 1 was scared because BOYKIN Jr. had his hand on his gun," the complaint said. "As BOYKIN Jr. forced Victim # 1 to suck his penis, Victim # 1 advised she felt a choking sensation, like she could not breathe, which caused her throat to hurt."
According to the feds, Boykin then told the woman he could shoot her, create an excuse, and would be believed because he was a law enforcement officer.
Investigators said that the defendant's semen was later found on the ground near the dumpster where the sexual assault occurred.
How did Boykin explain that? Investigators said that he was trying to teach Victim # 1, whom he called a "piece of s—," a lesson and "told her he was tired of prostitutes out there in the streets," the complaint said.
After he initially denied that anything sexual had taken place, he did admit he asked the woman "if she would not mind giving him a blow job," as court documents put it.
He claimed that Victim # 1 responded by saying "OK" and calling him handsome.
"BOYKIN Jr. told interviewers he exited his patrol vehicle and walked around to the passenger side. BOYKIN Jr. stated Victim # 1 was kneeling on the concrete in front of him and he pulled out his penis," the complaint continued.
On Aug. 11, 2020, Boykin was confronted about a separate alleged sexual assault from Aug. 3, 2020, at the same secluded area by the dumpster where he assaulted Victim #1.
Victim # 2 was in a friend's car at a Texaco gas station Aug. 3, 2020, when Boykin showed up and told her she had traffic warrants. According to the complaint, after the defendant told the woman's friend she was free to leave, he "manipulated his dash camera, which was linked to his body-worn camera, such that his body worn camera ceased recording audio."
As Boykin drove Victim # 2 to the area where he sexually assaulted her, his body camera stopped recording video.
"According to Victim # 2, BOYKIN Jr. drove to the back of the property and turned the thing off on his chest, turned off his computer, and turned off the headlights. Victim # 2 stated BOYKIN Jr. told her 'I know what you do and I want some,'" the complaint said. "Victim # 2 told interviewers she agreed because she was scared."
The woman said that Boykin unzipped his pants and exposed himself, demanding "come on and give me some of that good head."
"According to Victim # 2, BOYKIN Jr. then thanked her and subsequently drove her to a nearby music store and dropped her off," the complaint continued. "Victim # 2 told interviewers she did not feel she had a choice on whether or not to get into the vehicle with BOYKIN Jr. because he was an officer of the law. Victim # 2 stated she believed BOYKIN Jr. could get away with anything because of his status with the law."
The criminal complaint was filed in March 2021 and a superseding indictment followed in June 2022. Two weeks after the superseding indictment was filed, Boykin was found competent to stand trial — and face trial he did over four days in January 2023.
This week, U.S. District Judge George C. Hanks Jr. tore into Boykin at sentencing, calling him a "predator" who engaged in "repugnant" victim-blaming and who destroyed the lives of two women, according to the DOJ.
"Your crocodile tears do not impress me," the judge said, ordering Boykin to serve 516 months in prison — 43 years — plus five years of supervised release.
U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Texas Alamdar S. Hamdani said in a statement that Boykin "turned traffic stops into sexual assaults" of vulnerable victims he incorrectly thought would let him get away with his crimes.
"He used his badge and all the power it afforded to force himself onto two vulnerable women. Boykin targeted victims he believed would not report him and even thought he got away with it. He was wrong," Hamdani said. "This sentence sends a message that we will pursue anyone that poses a threat to our citizens, no matter what position they hold. And thanks to the hard work of law enforcement, the position Boykin now holds is inmate." him guilty.
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