Ex-North Texas firefighter sentenced to life for recruiting attacker in home‑invasion rape of woman he knew, prosecutors say

A former North Texas firefighter has been sentenced to life in prison for arranging a violent home‑invasion rape carried out against a woman he knew by a man that he recruited online, prosecutors said.

Joel Jones, 54, a former deputy chief with the Everman Fire Department, pleaded guilty to aggravated sexual assault for directing the attacker to target the victim, according to the Tarrant County District Attorney's Office.

Jury reaches quick decision

A Tarrant County jury needed only 20 minutes to return the life sentence after hearing "all the disgusting acts" Jones had committed, District Attorney Phil Sorrells said in a news release.

"One man's depravity was on full display this week in the Tarrant County Courthouse," Sorrells said.

Evidence presented at trial

Evidence showed Jones maintained a secret life involving pornography, cross‑dressing, drugs, and multiple sex partners, and had instructed the attacker to record the assault, the District Attorney's Office said.

Prosecutors said Jones recruited 31‑year‑old Tobasia Griffiths through a dating website and told him the assault would be a consensual fantasy, though the victim had not agreed to any such encounter.

Victim fights back

Investigators said Griffiths went to the woman's home on Feb. 21, 2025, using information Jones provided, entered her bedroom, and assaulted her. The victim fought back – hitting, kicking, and striking him with a lamp – before escaping by convincing him she needed to use the restroom, according to investigators.

Griffiths fled the home moments later, authorities said.

Escape and aftermath

The victim returned home, locked the doors, and called Jones, who pretended to be supportive and then phoned 911 despite having orchestrated the attack, prosecutors said.

Griffiths later pleaded guilty to aggravated sexual assault and cooperated with prosecutors, according to the District Attorney's Office.

Further attempts to harm victim

Prosecutors said Griffiths sent Jones an audio recording of the assault. Within days, Jones attempted to arrange another attack on the same woman and discussed wanting her kidnapped and raped, according to the District Attorney's Office.

Prosecutors told the jury that Jones repeatedly said he wanted to "break" the victim and strip her of her faith, calling his actions "evil."

CBS News Texas will provide updates should more information become available.