By Will Pafford, Staff Writer

A Llano County jury sentenced a former West Lake Hills police officer to five years incarceration and three consecutive 10-year probated sentences for online solicitation of a child.

Paul Kirksey, 36, pleaded guilty to five felony charges on Feb. 23. 

Kirksey is required to register as a sex offender until 10 years after he completes his probation.

In September 2008, Kirksey was indicted for distributing sexually explicit images over the Internet to an Office of the Attorney General undercover investigator, who the defendant thought was a 13-year-old girl.

Upon examination of Kirksey’s computer, evidence was recovered that he had solicited another unknown minor in June 2007. 

Kirksey admitted to the jury that he solicited “two to three” minors, but did not recall their names or screen names.

West Lake Hills Police Department Chief Cliff Spratlan said after the incident he immediately contacted the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement Officer Standards and Education for an ethics class for officers. 

The class reminded officers that they are still police officers even if they are not on duty, every hour of every day. 

“And what they do directly reflects back on the department, whether it’s intentional or not,” Spratlan said.