Court hands out several sentences

Sentences have been handed down in 26 cases before the 100th District Court since January 12, including several cases with hearings held in Clarendon with District Attorney Luke Inman prosecuting.

John Frederick Cornwell was placed on probation Tuesday, January 13, 2009, for a period of two years for the offense of Fleeing or Attempting to Elude Police Officer.  Cornwell pleaded guilty to the Class A misdemeanor offense and received one year in the Childress County jail, but that sentence was probated for a two year period.

Cornwell was indicted by a Childress County Grand Jury on June 10, 2008.  Pursuant to the plea agreement, Cornwell is required to pay a $3,000 fine within 60 days from Tuesday as a condition of probation.

District Judge Stuart Messer presided over the case.

Chris Myers was placed on deferred adjudication Friday, January 23, 2009, for a period of two years for the state jail felony offense of burglary of a building.  Myers pleaded guilty to the state jail felony offense of Burglary of a Building.

Myers was indicted by a Donley County Grand Jury on June 22, 2007.  Pursuant to the plea agreement, Myers is required to pay a $1,500 fine as a condition of probation.  If Myers violates his probation, he could face up to two years in a State Jail Facility of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice.

Honorable Judge Dan Mike Bird presided by assignment.

Schellone Alan Byrd was placed on deferred adjudication Monday, January 26, 2009, for a period of ten years for the offense of possession of marijuana.  Byrd pleaded guilty before Judge Messer to the second degree felony offense of possession of marijuana.

Byrd was indicted by a Carson County Grand Jury on August 28, 2008.  Pursuant to the plea agreement, Byrd is required to pay $140.00 restitution and a fine of $10,000.00.  As a condition of the probation, $2,500 of the fine was paid on Monday.

“The restitution is paid to the State of Texas for expenses involved in testing the narcotics.” Inman said. “The fines imposed against the defendants are paid directly to the county where the case was prosecuted.”

If Byrd violates his probation, he could face up to 20 years in the Institutional Division of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice.

Billy Ray Dedrick, Jr., was placed on deferred adjudication Monday, January 26, 2009, for a period of five years by Judge Messer for the offense of Possession of Controlled Substance.  Dedrick pleaded guilty to the third degree felony offense of Possession of Controlled Substance.

Dedrick was indicted by a Donley County Grand Jury on October 6, 2008.  Pursuant to the plea agreement, Dedrick is required to pay $140 restitution and a $4,000 fine as a condition of probation. If Dedrick violates his probation, he could face up to ten years in the Institutional Division of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice.

Luis Escamilla was placed on probation Monday, January 26, 2009, by Judge Messer for a period of five years for the third degree felony offense of driving while intoxicated.  Escamilla was convicted and sentenced to five years in the Institutional Division of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, but the sentence was probated for five years.

Escamilla was indicted by a Donley County Grand Jury on October 6, 2008.  Pursuant to the plea agreement, Escamilla is required to pay a $2,000.00 fine, be incarcerated for ten days in the Donley County Jail, receive a 180-day driver’s license suspension, and have an ignition interlock device placed on his vehicle, among other conditions of probation.

Also of local interest, Jose E. Garcia was sentenced Monday, January 12, 2009, to the Donley County Jail for a period of 53 days for the offense of theft Over $500 but less than $1,500.  Garcia pleaded guilty to the Class A misdemeanor offense of Theft.

Garcia pleaded guilty to a complaint and information which was filed by Luke Inman, the 100th Judicial District Attorney. Judge Messer presided over the hearing, which was in Childress.

Other sentences in the district court were as follows:

In Panhandle on January 22: Dustin Kirk Ferrell received five years Texas Department of Criminal Justice, probated five years for the offense of Possession of Controlled Substance.  Brandy Nicole McCarley was placed on deferred adjudication for a period of four years for the offense of possession of marijuana.  Brandon Scott Lorenz was convicted and sentenced to two years in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice – Institutional Division for the offense of Possession of Certain Chemicals with intent to Manufacture.  Kerry Mendell Quam was convicted and sentenced to 12 months in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, State Jail Facility for the offense of evading arrest. Elvin Lee Oldham was convicted and sentenced to ten years in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice – Institutional Division.  However, the ten year sentence was probated and Oldham was placed on probation for a period of ten years for the offense of unlawful restraint.

Also in Panhandle on January 26: Bobby Lee Woods pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 25 years in the Institutional Division of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice for the first degree offense of sexual assault.

In Childress on January 12: Richard Daniel Durley was placed on deferred adjudication for a period of two years for the offense of terroristic threat. Jessie James Cariveau was placed on deferred adjudication for a period of three years for the offense of Criminal Mischief.

In Memphis on January 16: John Warren Ulrey was placed on probation for four years for the offense of sexual assault.  Ulrey pled nolo contendere to the second degree felony offense of Sexual Assault and received eight years in the Institutional Division of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, which was probated for four years. James Earl House was placed on deferred adjudication for a period of two years for the offense of Burglary of a Building and for the offense of Theft.

In Wellington on January 20: Gilbert Fernandez was placed on deferred adjudication for a period of two years for the offense of theft by check.  Johnny Mercado was placed on deferred adjudication for a period of two years for the offense of Forgery.  Mercado pled guilty to the state jail felony offense of forgery. Ruben Cruz was placed on deferred adjudication for a period of three years for the state jail offense of forgery.  Cruz pled guilty to the state jail felony offense of forgery.
In Childress on January 21: Earl Adam Gentry was placed on deferred adjudication for a period of two years for state jail felony offense of burglary of building. Charles Brian Cawthon pleaded true to all the State’s allegations in its motion to adjudicate for a third degree felony offense.  Cawthon was convicted and sentenced to eight years in the Institutional Division of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice for the offense of possession of a controlled substance in a correctional facility. Deontay Markiest Hampton pleaded true to two of the State’s allegations in its motion to adjudicate.  Hampton was convicted and sentenced to eight months in the Childress County jail for the offense of Evading Arrest, along with a fine of $1,500. Jeffrey Dayne Whitten was sentenced to ten years in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice Institutional Division.  Whitten pleaded guilty to the first degree felony offense of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. Michael Greg Timmons was sentenced to seven years in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice Institutional Division.  Timmons pleaded guilty to the second degree felony offense of enhanced assault with family violence.