Change of venue approved for Anthony Patterson's sex crimes trial

A judge granted a change of venue Thursday for Anthony Ryan Patterson's trial for allegations of human trafficking and child sexual abuse, court records show.

Seventy-eighth District Judge Meredith Kennedy ordered the trial to move to Tarrant County. It is set for Oct. 30.

More: Patterson trial delayed until October because of new charges

Kennedy's findings, based on the defense and prosecution's agreement, were that the prejudice against Patterson in Wichita County is so great that he can't get a fair and impartial trial here. Kennedy will continue to preside over the case.

Patterson, 46, is a former businessman who is well-known in the community. He is charged with several offenses related to alleged sexual crimes against children and human trafficking. Patterson has entered not-guilty pleas to the charges.

His defense team requested a change of venue July 19 in a 67-page motion with an 89-page appendix.

His attorneys claimed publicity about him has been “prejudicial and inflammatory,” so he can't get a fair trial in the county. They contend local and national media coverage drummed up a "hysteria" about the case.

At first, the prosecution opposed a change of venue. Brooke Grona-Robb, Special Victims Unit chief at the Wichita County District Attorney's Office, filed a 40-page response on Aug. 14 to the defense's request.

Patterson's claim that pretrial publicity from his cases has been "pervasive, prejudicial, and inflammatory" was an exaggeration, according to Grona-Robb's response. The stories cited by the defense were factual, objective and fair, and they were published on just 38 of the 902 days since the case was filed.

She urged the judge to allow jury selection to proceed in Wichita County to demonstrate a fair and impartial jury can be seated for his trial.

Patterson faces multiple offenses of indecency with a child, sexual assault of a child and human trafficking related to alleged incidents in 2017. He was also charged with separate incidents of sexual assault of a child going back to 2004 and 2005.

Patterson was free Friday from the Wichita County Detention Center on $2.5 million in bonds, online jail records show.

A Vernon woman is accused in connection with Patterson's case. Jandreani Dashimella Bell is suspected of supplying Patterson with trafficking victims.

Two other trials in Wichita County were switched to Tarrant County at the Tim Curry Criminal Justice Center in Fort Worth. The changes of venue were to ensure defendants could receive fair trials.

They include the capital murder trial of James Irven Staley III, 40. He was convicted and sentenced to life in prison without parole earlier this year for killing 2-year-old Jason Wilder McDaniel in 2018 in Wichita Falls.

In addition, a Tarrant County jury will determine the punishment for Amber Nichole McDaniel, Wilder's mom, for child endangerment and tampering with evidence in connection with her son's death.

Amber, 33, pleaded guilty to those charges earlier this year. Proceedings to determine her punishment will begin Sept. 11 in downtown Fort Worth. She is eligible for probation.

Trish Choate, enterprise watchdog reporter for the Times Record News in Wichita Falls, covers education, courts, breaking news, investigative projects and more. Contact Trish with news tips at tchoate@gannett.com. Her Twitter handle is @Trishapedia.

This article originally appeared on Wichita Falls Times Record News: Defense, prosecution agree to change venue for Anthony Patterson's trial