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Everman Deputy Fire Chief Joel Jones is one of two suspects who were convicted in an aggravated sexual assault case, according to police records.<\/p>\n
Tarrant County Jail<\/p>\n
A Tarrant County jury this week took 20 minutes to sentence a former Everman deputy fire chief to life in prison for his role in orchestrating a home invasion and rape, officials said.<\/p>\n
Joel Jones, 54, admitted Monday<\/a> to hiring a man to rape a woman he knew as part of a role-play fantasy.<\/p>\n Jones falsely told the man, 31-year-old Tobasia Griffiths, that the woman consented to the attack, and paid Griffiths $100 to carry it out, according to a statement from the Tarrant County District Attorney\u2019s Office. On Feb. 21, 2025, Jones helped Griffiths go to the victim’s house in Fort Worth, enter the home and violently assault her.<\/p>\n Griffiths later told detectives<\/a> he didn\u2019t realize the sexual encounter was non-consensual until a few days later when Jones messaged him to tell him police were investigating. Griffiths was sentenced to 10 years\u2019 probation in May.<\/p>\n The woman, a devout Catholic, escaped after kicking Griffiths and striking him with a lamp, according to the statement. Within days, Jones tried to arrange another sexual assault and kidnapping of the same woman after receiving a recording of the previous assault from Griffiths, prosecutors said.<\/p>\n After the attack, 30 Fort Worth police officers and personnel volunteered to pack the victim’s belongings and move her to a safe place, the DA\u2019s Office said.<\/p>\n Jones pleaded guilty to aggravated sexual assault, and the jury trial was held to determine his punishment.<\/p>\n \u201cOne man\u2019s depravity was on full display this week in the Tarrant County Courthouse,\u201d Tarrant County District Attorney Phil Sorrells said of the case.<\/p>\n The case was prosecuted by Tarrant County Assistant District Attorneys Kim D\u2019Avignon and Melinda Hogan.<\/p>\n Prosecutors told the jury that Jones repeatedly said he wanted to break the victim and \u201cstrip her of the faith that anchored her,\u201d the DA\u2019s Office said in a news release.<\/p>\n \u201cThere is evil in our world and it\u2019s sitting right there,\u201d D\u2019Avignon told the jury, pointing at Jones. \u201cHe wanted to take the most precious part of her and break it. … We cannot have that in our community.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWe proudly ask for a life sentence,\u201d D\u2019Avignon said. \u201cThere has never been any more evil than has walked in this room.\u201d<\/p>\n This story was originally published June 12, 2026 at 4:31 PM.<\/p>\n Related Stories from Fort Worth Star-Telegram<\/p>\n