Fresno woman admits role in "thruple" child sex abuse case involving her husband, girlfriend
FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- The first domino fell Wednesday in an unusual child sex crimes case when a Fresno woman admitted her role in the sexual abuse of a 12-year-old girl whose mother was involved in a long-term love triangle relationship.
Jillian Cox admitted to child abuse and she'll be sentenced to four years of probation and 52 weeks of classes for child abusers.
Prosecutors expect that to be the lightest punishment in the case.
"She's been cooperating with our investigation, working with our detectives," said deputy district attorney Andrew Janz. "She's also the least culpable."
Investigators say Brent Cox repeatedly sexually abused the daughter of the couple's live-in girlfriend, Tammy Schreiner.
They say the plan was to make the girl his third "wife."
When the sex crimes started coming to light, Schreiner defended Brent Cox on Facebook and detectives say she gave her daughter a throw away cell phone and tried to coach her to lie about the abuse.
"She essentially exposed her child to these horrendous acts," Janz said. "She has a duty as a mother to protect her child and she failed miserably."
Prosecutor Andrew Janz is negotiating a deal with Schreiner too, hoping to avoid forcing the girl to relive the abuse during a trial.
He wants Schreiner to register as a sex offender so she can't expose other children to abuse.
Investigators say Brent Cox recorded video evidence of the crimes, but tried to hide it.
They found it at Tioga Sequoia, his workplace, along with firearms Cox is not allowed to have because of a prior conviction.
Possession of child pornography is one of the 13 charges Brent Cox is now facing.
Prosecutors are not offering him any deal, but his attorney Marc Kapetan tells Action News they're negotiating a settlement.
Schreiner and Brent Cox are due back in court next month when they could enter pleas. If they do, they'll get their punishment in January at the same time that Jillian Cox will get hers.
