The Early Police Department issued the following press release Monday morning:
On October 22, 2020, the Brown County Grand Jury indicted Jerry Lane Crouch, 39, of Early, for three counts of Sexual Assault. The three-count Indictment relates to three women, ages 18 to 20, who complained of sexual assaults by Crouch in connection with his work as a tattoo artist in Early. The investigation began when, on June 06, 2020, a client of Crouch reported to officers with the Early Police Department that Crouch had cornered her in a bathroom and sexually assaulted her while preparing the outline of a tattoo. Following Crouch’s arrest for the June 6th, 2020 assault, dozens of women came forward to complain of sexual advances, indecent exposures, and sexual assaults by Crouch spanning from 2008 to 2020. The Indictment includes instances of sexual assault of patrons of Crouch’s tattoo parlor in 2014, 2018, and 2020.
Additional complaints against Crouch are currently under investigation by the Early Police Department and the Texas Rangers. Anyone who has additional information relating to assaultive conduct by the defendant or in his tattoo business may contact the Early Police Department at 325-646-5322.
Prosecution of the cases against Crouch is being handled by the Erath County District Attorney’s Office after the local District Attorney recused.