Comal County jury convicts first female sexually violent predator in Texas history
The Brief
A California woman has been declared the first female sexually violent predator in Texas history.
Under Texas law, sexually violent predators are considered extremely dangerous and likely to re-offend.
Desiree Hamm pleaded guilty to kidnapping and sexual abuse in 2011.
COMAL COUNTY, Texas - For the first time, a Texas jury classified a woman as a sexually violent predator.
A Comal County jury determined Desiree Hamm, a 37-year-old from San Diego, should be classified as a sexually violent predator under Texas law.
The backstory
Desiree Hamm, 37, has served 15 years of a 20-year sentence after pleading guilty to 13 counts of sexual performance by a child, aggravated kidnapping and sexual abuse of a child. She was also sentenced to 10 years probation after her release.
In late 2009, Hamm began online relationships with two teen victims in a role playing game.
Records show she spent hundreds of hours on the phone and computer with the girls, brainwashed them to believe the game was reality and would monitor their webcams.
Hamm also sent the girls secret cell phones, computers, pulls and gifts.
In addition, Hamm was able to convince an adult woman, who she controlled through similar measures, to drive from San Diego to Comal County and then drive the girls back to California.
The girls spent some of the trip in the trunk of the car.
Hamm gave false information and misinformation to police who were looking for the girls and kept them hidden for the next month.
During that time, Hamm committed a number of sexual assaults and branded them with a homemade brand to match her tattoo.
The Texas Board of Pardons and Parole granted Hamm an early release from prison.
Hamm is eligible for parole as soon as August 2025, as long as she completes a Sex Offender Treatment Program, according to online records.
In a recent trial, a forensic psychologist told the jury that Hamm acts like a "cult leader" who looks to control all aspects of victims' lives and has a high risk of reoffending.
Hamm told the jury during her testimony that she continued to engage in "role play games" throughout her time in prison with many different pen pals.
She also testified that she lied during expert interviews and to the State's attorney when she was deposed in August 2024.
On Jan. 20, 2025, the Comal County jury determined she was a sexually violent predator.
What they're saying
"I am extremely grateful for the hard work and excellence by SVP Chief Erin Faseler and her team who took an important case for our County and used their expertise to protect Texas by handling this case for my office," said Comal County District Attorney Jennifer Tharp. "It has been a historical week for Texas, and I am grateful for the jury's verdict."
Dig deeper
Under Texas law, inmates with two or more convictions for sexually violent offenses who are about to be released from the Texas Department of Criminal Justice are screened for Texas' Sexually Violent Predator Commitment program.
In order to be named a sexually violent predator, the inmate must have shown a "behavioral abnormality that makes them likely to engage in a predatory act of sexual violence."
The law has been in place since 1999.
Once Hamm is released from prison, she will now be transferred into the custody of the Texas Civil Commitment Office.
She will be taken to the Texas Civil Commitment Center in Littlefield, Texas, where she will be under supervision and receive long-term sex offender treatment.
Hamm will be evaluated every two years to see if there has been a change in her risk of sexual re-offense.
The Source
Information in this article comes from the Comal County District Attorney's Office.
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