Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is facing renewed criticism over a plea agreement involving Adam Hoffman, a former Waco attorney accused of repeatedly sexually abusing a young boy. The original agreement offered Hoffman a sentence of just one day in jail, along with two misdemeanor guilty pleas, and no requirement to register as a sex offender. And that is exactly where things get complicated.
From One Day to 60
Hoffman’s case had already gone through a trial that ended with a hung jury. According to The Texas Tribune, Paxton’s office said the child, allegedly his son’s best friend, did not want to go through the experience of testifying again. At the time of the abuse, the child was allegedly around 6 or 7 and had allegedly gone on until he was 10.
The proposed resolution would have allowed Hoffman to plead guilty to two misdemeanors and spend only one day behind bars.
Judge Roy Sparkman apparently wasn’t prepared to simply wave the case through.
During the hearing, Sparkman said Hoffman should receive at least 60 days in jail. Prosecutors then changed their position, proposing 30 days instead. Sparkman ultimately sentenced Hoffman to 60 days.
So yes, the final sentence was very different from that original one-day offer.
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Paxton Has a Response
Naturally, Paxton has been asked about it.
During a recent event, Paxton pushed back against criticism that his office had effectively allowed Hoffman to walk after just one day.
“The criticism has been that I let a child predator out having one day,” Paxton said. “Well, guess what? They served 60 days.” Adding, “We did our best.”
Ken Paxton: The criticism has been that I let a child predator out after one day. Well guess what? They served 60 days. pic.twitter.com/KVZZpCrI4c
— Headquarters (@HQNewsNow) September 28, 2026
There is, however, an important distinction here. Hoffman was sentenced to 60 days, but jail records show that he ultimately spent less than 30 days incarcerated, with credit applied toward his sentence, according to kcentv.com.
The Victim’s Family Questioned the Process
The victim’s mother also spoke to The Texas Tribune about the case, explaining that she had initially agreed to an earlier version of the deal. She said that decision came after prosecutors indicated they did not want to continue with another trial.
“We were put in an impossible situation,” she said.
That has become a major part of the criticism surrounding the case. Online, people have also questioned why Paxton’s office was willing to start with a one-day sentence before the judge intervened.
And, well, that is where the controversy sits: the final sentence was 60 days, but the original proposal was one.
Paxton is no stranger to controversy, particularly when it comes to LGBTQ+ issues, transgender rights, and his public clashes with figures such as James Talarico. But this particular case has nothing to do with LGBTQ+ politics. It is a criminal case involving allegations of child sexual abuse and a plea agreement that has drawn scrutiny over how prosecutors handled it.
For critics, the question isn’t simply how many days Hoffman ultimately served. It’s why a one-day deal was considered acceptable in the first place.