August 6, 2015

(McKinney, Texas) – William “Chad” Coleman, 41, of Frisco, Texas, was sentenced to life in prison for Arson of a Habitation and Aggravated Assault with a Deadly Weapon in Frisco, announced Collin County District Attorney Greg Willis.

Coleman pled guilty to a dozen crimes at his trial.  Evidence showed that in March 2013, Coleman threatened his fiancé with a gun while chasing her in his vehicle.  When she fled to the Frisco Police Department, Coleman returned to her home and killed her Chihuahua with a wire coat hanger, injured her Mastiff by striking him in the head, and set her house on fire.  About a month prior to that, he threatened her with a shotgun, which he was prohibited from having since he was a convicted felon.

While on bond for the above charges, in February 2014, Coleman went on a crime spree through Plano, Carrollton, Frisco, Princeton, and McKinney.  Coleman stole a 2012 Toyota Camry from Plano and credit cards from residents of Carrollton to make fraudulent purchases.  Coleman stole a bright green 2014 Jeep Wrangler from a Frisco neighborhood.  He also broke into a house in the same neighborhood and painted the Jeep black.  The owner of the Jeep located Coleman by following his footprints in the snow and when he arrived at the burglarized house, Coleman set the Toyota Camry on fire and threatened the Jeep’s owner with a gun.  Coleman drove to Princeton where he displayed the gun to a patron at a gas station and then led police on a high speed chase on icy roads through Princeton and McKinney.  He eventually crashed the Jeep, fled the scene, and broke into a McKinney residence, where he was found hiding in the attic.

Coleman was previously convicted of felony Aggravated Assault with a Deadly Weapon in Dallas County in 2005.  In that offense, Coleman attacked a former girlfriend with a hammer, striking her multiple times on the head and body in a public parking lot on Mockingbird Lane. He was sentenced to four years in prison. Coleman was a Dallas Fire Fighter at that time. Coleman has a tattoo of a hammer on his neck that he alleged is a reminder of this past incident.

In a guilty plea to the jury, Coleman plead guilty to all 12 offenses.  After hearing evidence in each of the cases as well as evidence of his prior prison trip, the jury sentenced Coleman to life in prison for Arson of a Habitation and Aggravated Assault with a Deadly Weapon of his former girlfriend.  Multiple prison sentences were assessed by the jury for Animal Cruelty, Unlawful Possession of a Firearm by a Felon, Auto Theft, Arson of a Vehicle, Unauthorized Use of a Motor Vehicle, Burglary of a Habitation, Aggravated Assault with a Deadly Weapon of the Jeep owner, Evading Arrest with a Motor Vehicle, and Credit Card Abuse.  All sentences assessed by the jury will run concurrently.

Assistant Criminal District Attorneys Lindsey Wynne and Paul Anfosso prosecuted the cases and were assisted by District Attorney Investigator Keith Henslee.  The cases were investigated by the Frisco Police Department, Frisco Fire Department, and the Princeton Police Department with assistance from Plano, Carrollton, and McKinney police departments, as some offenses began in those jurisdictions.  Judge Andy Chatham presided over the cases.

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July 31, 2015

(McKinney, Texas) – Danny Richard Minor, 40, of The Colony, Texas, was sentenced to life confinement without the possibility of parole for three counts of Continuous Sexual Abuse of a Young Child and life confinement for two counts of Aggravated Sexual Assault of a Child, announced Collin County District Attorney Greg Willis.

From 2002 until 2009 when Minor lived in Plano, Texas, Minor molested two related children and an unrelated child.  One child disclosed the abuse in 2009, but conflicting statements prevented detectives from moving forward at that time.  Minor cut off ties with Plano and moved to The Colony where the abuse continued.  The case was reactivated in June 2014 when a second child came forward and provided corroborating information for the 2009 disclosure.  Two additional cases resulted from that disclosure.  Minor was arrested and a search warrant was obtained for his DNA.  A paternity test confirmed that Minor is the biological father of his daughter’s child.

The jury returned a guilty verdict Thursday for three counts of Continuous Sexual Abuse of a Young Child and two counts of Aggravated Sexual Assault of a Child.  On Friday, the jury sentenced Minor to life confinement without the possibility of parole on each count of Continuous Sexual Abuse of a Young Child and life confinement on each count of Aggravated Sexual Assault of a Child.

Assistant District Attorneys Sarah Preston and Shannon Miller prosecuted the case, assisted by District Attorney Investigator Stephanie Strickland.  The case was investigated by Plano Police Department Detectives Chris Jones and Brian Pfahning.  Judge Chris Oldner presided over the case.

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July 3, 2015

(McKinney, Texas) – DWI drivers need to be on notice that this will be a “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” Fourth of July weekend, announced Collin County District Attorney Greg Willis.

Those showing signs of driving while intoxicated will be asked to provide a breath or blood sample.  If they refuse, officers will seek a warrant from a judge. On-call judges stand ready to determine probable cause for a warrant. The driver’s blood will be drawn if the judge finds there is sufficient evidence of DWI.

The mission of the Collin County District Attorney’s Office is to pursue justice and protect the community.  It works with law enforcement agencies to reduce the number of DWI offenses through the combination of effective prosecution and public awareness of the “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” program.

The officers do not draw the blood. Rather, health care professionals are stationed at certain local jails for this purpose.  The aim of this program is to keep citizens and roadways safe by preventing DWI activity.  But those who disregard the rights of others should be aware that July 3-6, 2015 is a “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” weekend in Collin County.

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June 19, 2015

(McKinney) – In order to comply with the highest ethical standards of prosecution, the Collin County District Attorney’s Office on June 17th, 2015, forwarded a previously-undisclosed interview of a witness to attorneys for Raul Cortez.  Cortez was convicted of capital murder in 2009 and sentenced to death by lethal injection by a Collin County jury for the murders of four people in McKinney, Texas, in 2004.  The interview was conducted by the McKinney Police Department of Eddie Williams, an accomplice to the crime who testified for the prosecution in the Cortez trial.  Williams’s testimony at trial was corroborated by both circumstantial and physical evidence.  Six other recorded interviews between Williams and the McKinney Police Department were provided to Cortez’s attorneys before his trial.  It is not believed that this additional interview of Williams contains any new information, but it is being provided to Cortez’s attorneys for them to take whatever action, if any, they find appropriate.

The existence of this interview was discovered when the McKinney Police Department alerted the DA’s office that prosecutors may never have had the interview in their file.  An investigative supplement from McKinney PD documenting the facts surrounding the discovery of the interview is also being provided to Cortez’s attorneys.  After an extensive internal review, prosecutors cannot verify that the interview was ever provided to the defense.

Raul Cortez was tried in the 416th District Court, the Honorable Judge Webb Biard presiding, by assistant district attorneys working for then Collin County DA John Roach.  Eddie Williams is currently serving a 20 year sentence for his role in the murders.

Because this matter may involve ongoing litigation, further public comment by the Collin County District Attorney’s office would be inappropriate.

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June 15, 2015

(McKinney, Texas) – Collin County District Attorney Greg Willis has requested the Texas Rangers conduct an independent investigation into the June 5th Craig Ranch incident.  This request was made earlier today to Texas Ranger Major Dewayne Dockery of Company “B” based in Garland, Texas.

“I have full confidence in the good men and women of the McKinney Police Department and their ability to fully investigate this matter.  At the same time, an independent investigation of this incident will add an important layer of transparency to the process,” said Willis.

Because this is an on-going investigation, the Collin County District Attorney’s Office will have no further public comment at this time.

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June 12, 2015

(McKinney, Texas) – Brenden Frank Bridges, 18, and Adam Blake Staup, 17, both of Wylie, Texas were sentenced by a judge to 30 years in prison, for planning and executing the brutal murder of classmate Ivan Mejia, announced Collin County Criminal District Attorney Greg Willis.

At the time of the murder, both Bridges and Staup were 16 years old.  Judge Cynthia Wheless certified both teens to be tried as adults in separate hearings last summer.  Monday, June 8, 2015 both teens pled guilty to murder without a plea bargain agreement.  Over the course of the week, prosecutors presented evidence of the facts and circumstances surrounding the murder, as well as information about Mejia.  Defense attorneys provided testimony from psychologists who evaluated Bridges and Staup and from family members and friends of the teens.  Judge Mark Rusch heard the evidence and on Friday decided and assessed the 30 year sentences.

Testimony revealed that Bridges and Staup finalized their plan to kill Mejia five days before they murdered him on March 8, 2014.  Staup sent Mejia a text message posing as Mejia’s girlfriend.  The message asked Mejia to come to Bennett Road behind Wylie East High School.  When Mejia arrived, Staup and Bridges were waiting.  Staup put Mejia in a chokehold and began strangling him.  Bridges joined in and eventually Mejia lost consciousness.  Staup and Bridges then put Mejia in the trunk of a car, duct taped his hands and feet together, stuffed a rag into his mouth and held his nose shut for one minute to ensure Mejia was dead.  From there, Bridges drove them to a wooded area in Garland to hide Mejia’s body.  Evidence showed that Bridges and Staup dragged Mejia’s body over 1,000 feet through the woods to a small creek.  Next to the creek was a hole for Mejia’s body that Bridges and Staup had dug the night before.  As Bridges and Staup were making their way to the makeshift grave, Garland Police were notified of a suspicious vehicle by the woods.  When officers responded they found Bridges and Staup in the creek trying to sink Mejia’s body.

Further investigation by Wylie police discovered that Mejia was romantically involved with a girl who Bridges was also interested in.  Bridges believed that if Mejia was “out of the way” then he would be able to pursue a relationship with the girl.  Bridges and Staup developed the plan to kill Mejia to get him “out of the way.”

The victim, Ivan Mejia, was a 17-year-old senior at Wylie East High School.  According to family and friends, Ivan was actively involved in the Junior ROTC program at Wylie East.  His dream was to become a United States Marine.  Teachers testified that Ivan was very respectful, liked to laugh and always had a smile on his face.  Ivan’s mother called him the “sunshine” of their family.

Assistant Criminal District Attorneys Ashley Keil and Zeke Fortenberry prosecuted the case and were assisted by District Attorney Investigator Mike Bennett.

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June 9, 2015

(McKinney, Texas) – Our office has received numerous inquiries from the public regarding the June 5th incident at Craig Ranch.  We share the public’s legitimate interest in a full and fair investigation of this matter.  We are currently awaiting the results of the McKinney Police Department’s investigation and ask for patience as their investigation continues.  We remain dedicated to seeking justice and protecting all members of our community.

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June 4, 2015

(McKinney, Texas) – Rontae Thornton, 38, of McKinney, received a sentence of 40 years without the possibility of parole for Continuous Sexual Abuse of a Child and sentences of 10 years each for Sexual Assault of a Child and Possession of Child Pornography, all to run concurrently, announced Collin County District Attorney Greg Willis.

Thornton met the victim when she was 7 years old while dating her mother.  When the victim was 13 years old, she woke up from napping to Thornton having sex with her.  Thornton then developed a relationship with the victim, had sex with her twice a week and planned to run away with her.  When the victim was 14, she became pregnant by Thornton and had an abortion.

McKinney P.D. Sergeant Tony Spano stopped Thornton for a traffic violation on March 12, 2014 after observing Thornton and the victim leaving a motel around 2:30 a.m.  Upon stopping Thornton’s car, Sergeant Spano formed reasonable suspicion that an improper relationship was occurring due to all the surrounding circumstances including time of night, leaving the hotel, differences in last names, and the disparity in age.  During his investigation, Spano found inappropriate text messages, photos and videos on Thornton’s phone.  McKinney P.D. Detective Eric Stephens interviewed Thornton after the arrest and obtained a confession.

During the jury trial, after Sergeant Spano testified, Thornton elected to change his plea from “not guilty” to “guilty” and have the court assess punishment.

The victim and Detective Stephens testified in the punishment phase of trial.  Evidence showed that Thornton had child pornography on his phone of the victim as well as other children. Judge Richard Davis sentenced Thornton to 40 years in prison without the possibility of parole.

Assistant District Attorneys Geeta Singletary and Daniel Lewis prosecuted the case, assisted by District Attorney Investigator Greg Bowers.

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June 2, 2015

(McKinney, Texas) – Christopher James Holder, 31, received a life sentence without the possibility of parole after a jury found him guilty of capital murder, announced Collin County District Attorney Greg Willis.

On November 11, 2012, Plano police discovered Bill Tanner’s lifeless body in his East Plano home. Tanner had been beaten and also sustained 20 stab wounds. It also appeared to officers that the killer had attempted to burn Tanner’s house to conceal evidence.  Detective Beth Spillman soon developed a suspect – Holder.  At one time, Holder was the boyfriend of Tanner’s adult stepdaughter and lived in Tanner’s house with the step-daughter and her young children.  In late October 2012, at the request of Tanner’s step-daughter, Tanner asked Holder to move out.

Holder had few options when he left the Tanner household.  Testimony showed that he worked sporadically, did not have a place to live, and used methamphetamine heavily.  On the day of Tanner’s death, cell phone records put Holder in the area of Tanner’s house.  DNA evidence also linked Holder to the house on the day of the murder.

At trial, Thomas Uselton, Holder’s former friend, testified that Holder brought him to Tanner’s house during the early morning hours of November 11, 2012.  Uselton saw Tanner’s dead body and Holder said it was because he molested a little girl.  Child Protective Services and police investigated the concerns, but found no evidence that any inappropriate activity had occurred between Tanner and his step-granddaughter.

Uselton testified that Holder wanted Uselton’s help to clean the crime scene and move Tanner’s body.  Uselton refused to help move the body, so Holder attempted to burn the house down to conceal the evidence and the two men fled in Tanner’s vehicle.
Assistant Criminal District Attorneys Cynthia Walker and Wes Wynne prosecuted the case, aided by District Attorney Investigators J.D. Spielman and Mike Smith.  District Judge Chris Oldner presided over the case.

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May 22, 2015

(McKinney, Texas) – DWI drivers need to be on notice that this will be a “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” Memorial weekend, announced Collin County District Attorney Greg Willis.

Those showing signs of driving while intoxicated will be asked to provide a breath or blood sample.  If they refuse, officers will seek a warrant from a judge.  On-call judges stand ready to determine probable cause for a warrant. The driver’s blood will be drawn if the judge finds there is sufficient evidence of DWI.

The mission of the Collin County District Attorney’s office is to pursue justice and protect the community.  It works with law enforcement agencies to reduce the number of DWI offenses through the combination of effective prosecution and public awareness of the “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” program.

The officers do not draw the blood.  Rather, health care professionals are stationed at certain local jails for this purpose.  The aim of this program is to keep citizens and roadways safe by preventing DWI activity.  But those who disregard the rights of others should be aware that May 22 – 25, 2015 is a “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” weekend in Collin County.

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May 8, 2015

(Plano, Texas) – Ronal Ordonez-Orosco, 26, of Plano, received a sentence of 50 years in prison without the possibility of parole for Continuous Sexual Abuse of a Young Child, announced Collin County District Attorney Greg Willis.

Evidence showed that Ordonez-Orosco lived in Plano with his niece and her family.  He raped the child when she was 11 and 12 years old.  After the last incident of abuse, the then 12 year old victim discovered she was pregnant.

Soon after, the victim told a Plano detective about the abuse.  After the disclosure, the victim was interviewed by a trained forensic interviewer at the Children’s Advocacy Center of Collin County where she disclosed details of the abuse.  After the birth of the victim’s child, a DNA test confirmed that her uncle, Ordonez–Orosco, was the father of the child.

The jury returned a guilty verdict on Continuous Sexual Abuse of a Child on Wednesday and Judge James R. Fry assessed punishment at 50 years in prison.

Assistant District Attorneys Crystal Levonius and Geeta Singletary prosecuted the case, assisted by District Attorney Investigator Stephanie Strickland.  The case was investigated by Plano Police Detective Jon Hoffman.

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April 30, 2015

(McKinney, Texas) – Victor Lopez, 36, of Plano, was sentenced by a jury to 40 years in prison for Continuous Sexual Abuse of a Child, announced Collin County District Attorney Greg Willis.

Evidence showed that Lopez sexually abused a 12 year old female relative on at least three occasions while her mother was at work.

The victim confided in a friend at school who encouraged her to tell someone.  The victim then went home and told her mother about the abuse.  Her mother called Plano police and Detective Kristina McClain investigated.  A trained forensic interviewer interviewed the victim at the Children’s Advocacy Center.  The victim then underwent a medical exam at the REACH clinic (Referral and Evaluation of At Risk Children), which performs medical evaluations for the diagnosis and treatment of child abuse.

The jury returned a guilty verdict on Continuous Sexual Abuse of a Child on Wednesday and assessed his punishment at 40 years in prison.

Assistant District Attorneys Shannon Miller and Geeta Singletary prosecuted the case, assisted by District Attorney Investigator Stephanie Strickland.  Judge Keith Dean presided over the case.

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April 17, 2015

(McKinney, Texas) – David Wayne Cahill, 52, of Oklahoma received 24 years in prison on Thursday for Aggravated Robbery, announced Collin County District Attorney Greg Willis.

Jury trial testimony revealed that on the evening of September 1, 2011, Cahill robbed a 79 year old man in the man’s home.  Cahill first attacked the victim on the victim’s porch and then pushed the man into the house.  Cahill then stole the elderly man’s wallet as he pinned him down.  Cahill then released the elderly victim, and ran to his still-running car for a quick getaway.  The 79 year old victim was terrified and because of a heart condition, had difficulty breathing.

Plano police took the report of the robbery. Initially they had no named suspects on the case. But two weeks later, a detective from Oklahoma contacted a Plano detective.  Cahill had been arrested for the Oklahoma robbery of an 85 year old man, and the Plano victim’s wallet was found in Cahill’s trunk. Plano Det. Brian Pfhanning interviewed Cahill at an Oklahoma jail, where Cahill refused to admit robbing the Plano victim, instead claiming it was a “pick-pocket”.

Cahill was returned to Texas to stand trial on the Aggravated Robbery charge.  After a motion to dismiss on a procedural challenge of his return to Texas was denied, evidence of the crime was presented including the testimony of the victim.  The jury disagreed with Cahill’s early characterization that this was a “pick-pocket,” finding him guilty of Aggravated Robbery.
Cahill will not be eligible for parole until one-half of his 24 year sentence is completed.

Assistant Criminal District Attorneys Abby Nettles Policastro and Lisa Milasky King prosecuted the case.  They were aided by District Attorney Investigators Matt Mayes and Ray McCommas. The case was investigated by the Plano Police Department. District Judge Benjamin Smith assessed the sentence.

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April 9, 2015

On April 6th our office received a complaint from a political group alleging securities law violations by Ken Paxton. While we have received a referral letter from Travis County containing the same or similar allegations, we have not received a case from Travis County or any other agency, most notably the Texas State Securities Board (further discussed below).  Our office took steps to have appropriate investigative agencies, including the Texas Rangers, follow-up on those allegations.  To facilitate this process, we have today requested Travis County’s files for law enforcement.

The prosecutor’s duty is to seek justice, not convictions.  In our office, we strive to treat people fairly regardless of their standing in society.  For example, we do not take advantage of someone because he is poor.  We do not give someone a break because she is rich, famous, important, or powerful.  We likewise do not single out someone because of those things.

When we are asked to circumvent our normal processes, we do what we can to normalize the situation.  For example, when people report crimes directly to our office, we refer them to the police or a specialized state agency so that the crimes are investigated by professionals whose job is investigating crimes.

This way, the law enforcement agency vets the case.  They take sworn statements of people with first-hand knowledge.  They interview witnesses, and gather evidence, and follow up on leads.  And once they finish investigating, they decide either to swear out a probable cause affidavit or simply refer the case, along with the sworn statements, tangible evidence, and a written police report to our office.  This is what we call a “case.”

In Texas, our legislature created a specialized agency to police our securities laws – The Texas State Securities Board (SSB).  Its stated mission is “to protect Texas investors.”  Per its website, for “reporting securities violations, the SSB receives complaints, conducts investigations, and enforces both administrative and criminal penalties.”  The Texas Securities Act mandates that the Securities Commissioner “shall at once lay before the District or County Attorney of the proper county any evidence which shall come to his knowledge of criminality under this Act.”

“The purpose of an SSB investigation is to determine whether violations of the Texas Securities Act or Board rules have occurred.  If so, we may take any of the following enforcement actions: administrative action, such as . . . an administrative fine; . . . or referral to the appropriate authorities for criminal prosecution.”  Indeed, the SSB regularly refers securities cases (often involving people getting swindled out of their life savings or getting tricked into Ponzi schemes) to our office.  The SSB prosecutors do an outstanding job in these prosecutions.  The SSB has made no referral regarding Ken Paxton.

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March 30, 2015

(McKinney, Texas) – Christian Cook, of Frisco, received 15 years in prison for Aggravated Assault with a Deadly Weapon, announced Collin County District Attorney Greg Willis.

Evidence showed that on the morning of March 5, 2013, Christian Cook and a group of friends met the victim and his friends at Auto Splash Car Wash on Preston Road in Frisco.  After both cars had been washed, Cook and the victim had a verbal disagreement.  Cook and his friends appeared to drive away from the scene, but returned seconds later to discuss the issue again. Cook and the victim were yelling at each other in the parking lot when one of Cook’s friends walked up behind the victim and punched him in the side of the head. The victim was knocked unconscious and fell to the ground.  At that time, Cook stomped on the victim’s head and kicked him in the stomach, causing life threatening injuries.  Cook and his friends fled the scene.

The victim was treated at a local hospital before being transported to Parkland where his spleen was removed and multiple plates were surgically inserted into his jaw.  Statements were taken from the victim and witnesses detailing what had occurred.

The jury returned a guilty verdict on March 26th on Aggravated Assault with a Deadly Weapon. During the punishment phase, the State introduced evidence that Cook had been convicted of a prior hit and run, as well as a theft.  Cook testified that he was a known drug dealer in Frisco and had a reputation for taking anything he could get his hands on.  He also admitted terrorizing the streets of Frisco.  The jury sentenced him to 15 years in prison.

Prosecutors Wes Wynne and Rebekah Perlstein prosecuted the case and were assisted by District Attorney Investigator Mike Smith.  The case was investigated by Frisco Police Detective Brian Tschudy.

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March 25, 2015

(McKinney, Texas) – Jerete Valdez, 39, of Dallas, was sentenced to 25 years in prison for a home burglary in Plano, announced Collin County District Attorney Greg Willis.

Valdez, who had multiple prior convictions for burglary of a vehicle and unauthorized use of a motor vehicle, broke into a Plano home during the early morning hours of June 7, 2014.  He stole a large amount of power tools, including a pressure washer, paint sprayer, saw, and a purse.  Plano Police Officers were initially called out to a traffic accident at Park Boulevard and Idaho Road around 4:30 a.m.  Valdez had called the police after he struck a moped rider with his car.  When police arrived they noticed the power tools in the backseat of Valdez’s sedan.  While officers were talking to Valdez, Sergeant Ewell drove through the neighborhood looking for open garage doors.

Police located an open garage less than a half mile from Valdez’s traffic accident.  The homeowners were notified of the open garage and realized their cars had been ransacked and their power tools were missing.  The homeowners were brought to the traffic accident where they identified the property in the rear seat of Valdez’s car.  Officers also located the homeowner’s insurance card in Valdez’s front pocket.

In a non-jury trial, State District Judge Angela Tucker found Jerete Valdez guilty of the burglary charge.  During the punishment hearing, it was established that Valdez was a habitual offender. Judge Tucker sentenced Valdez to 25 years in prison for the burglary charge.

Assistant Criminal District Attorneys Chris Fredericks and Ashley Rittenmeyer prosecuted the case and were assisted by District Attorney Investigator Rodney Neal.  The cases were investigated by Plano Officers C. Wright, B. Flanagan, and Sergeant B. Ewell.

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March 3, 2015

(McKinney, Texas) – Christopher Chensky, 50, of Wylie, received 14 years in prison for Intoxication Manslaughter, announced Collin County District Attorney Greg Willis.

In the early morning hours of July 1, 2009, about 6 months after his DWI conviction in Tarrant County, Chensky left Wylie intending to drive back to his home in Grand Prairie.  Intoxicated on prescription pills, he became lost and ended up northbound on Central Expressway.  Traveling 63 miles per hour near the Parker exit, he failed to brake, and crashed into the back of a moving car.  The tragic collision caused the victim’s car to spin sideways and slam into a steel support beam along Hwy 75.  The crash sent Chensky’s car into the parking lot of Zenna’s Bar and Grill where his car smashed into two other unoccupied vehicles before coming to a stop against a telephone pole.  The victim was extricated from her car and flown via Care Flite to Parkland Hospital.  The victim suffered a severe head injury and never regained the ability to walk or talk.  Due to these injuries, she died 18 months after the crash.

On February 25th, Chensky pleaded guilty to a jury without a plea bargain.  Pleading guilty to a jury is more commonly known as a slow plea.  During the punishment phase, the State introduced evidence that Chensky had a prior DWI conviction from January 2009 in Tarrant County.  He had also been involved in four additional crashes.  The jury sentenced Chensky to 14 years, out of a possible 20, and assessed a $10,000 fine.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant Criminal District Attorneys Rebekah Perlstein and Cynthia Walker.  They were aided by District Attorney Investigator Dale Dowdy.  The case was investigated by the Plano Police Department’s Jesse Muse, Terry Pauley and Kevin Sasso. District Judge Scott Becker presided over the case.

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February 26, 2015

(McKinney, Texas) – Joshua Karr, 32, of Allen, was sentenced to two life sentences for sexual assault of a child and online solicitation of a minor, announced Collin County District Attorney Greg Willis.  At trial, evidence showed that Karr and the 16 year-old victim communicated online constantly over the course of a year.  Although the victim told Karr that she was 16, their online conversations became sexually explicit in nature.  The jury reviewed skype chat logs showing Karr grooming the victim by calling her “wifey” and telling her how much he loved her, while becoming increasingly controlling and manipulative throughout their conversations.

On December 20, 2013, after the victim had a fight with her parents about her online conversations, Karr picked her up outside her school in Pasadena, Texas.  He took her to his mother’s home in Allen where he hid her for two weeks.  During that time, he had sex with her on multiple occasions.  He also had her alter her appearance by removing her braces and dyeing her hair.  As a result of investigations by the Pasadena Police, the Allen Police, and non-profit organizations, Karr was identified and, on January 3, 2014, the victim was found in his bedroom.  After the jury found Karr guilty, he agreed to life sentences for sexual assault of a child and online solicitation.  The charges were enhanced because Karr, a registered sex offender, had previously been convicted for possession of child pornography and attempted aggravated kidnapping.  Karr also pled guilty to additional charges of possession of child pornography and attempted escape from the Collin County jail.

Assistant District Attorneys Lauren Hopkins and Crystal Levonius prosecuted the case, assisted by District Attorney Investigator Stephanie Strickland.  The case was investigated by Allen Detective Investigator Joe Anders.  Judge Ben Smith presided over the case.

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February 25, 2015

(McKinney, Texas) – Jason Daniel Sewell, 36, of McKinney, was sentenced to 52 years without the possibility of parole for Continuous Sexual Abuse of a Young Child and 10 years for Indecency with a Child by Contact, announced Collin County District Attorney Greg Willis.

Sewell began molesting his then eight year old relative in another state.  Sewell also sexually abused the relative as well as showed her pornography in Arlington, Texas.  Eventually Sewell moved to McKinney and continued to molest the victim when she would visit him on the weekends. When the victim reached age 15 she finally confided in her mother what Sewell had been doing to her for so long.  The police were called immediately and an investigation began.

Sewell was arrested on charges out of Tarrant and Collin Counties and a search warrant was obtained for his home.  Detectives found multiple sexual devices that matched the description and location given by the victim, corroborating her account of the abuse.

The jury returned a guilty verdict Thursday for one count of Continuous Sexual Abuse of a Young Child and one count of Indecency with a Child by Contact.  On Friday, the jury then sentenced Sewell to 52 years without the possibility of parole on the first count and 10 years on the second.

Assistant District Attorneys Daniel Lewis and Sarah Preston prosecuted the case, assisted by District Attorney Investigator Kenneth Newton.  The case was investigated by Arlington Police Detective Grant Gildon and McKinney Police Sergeant Randy Agan.  Judge Richard Davis presided over the case.

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February 18, 2015

(McKinney, Texas) – Jordan Andrew Kearney, 23, of Addison, was sentenced to the maximum 10 years in prison for his assault family violence conviction following a jury trial this week, announced Collin County District Attorney Greg Willis.

The evidence showed that on May 29, 2014, Kearney purchased a hotel room for himself and his girlfriend.  While spending the afternoon together, Kearney got angry at the victim and burned her with his cigarette.  When she attempted to flee, Kearney locked the door and refused to allow her to leave. The victim then went into the bathroom to take a bath and Kearney followed her, still arguing.  Kearney then drug the victim out of the bathtub, hitting and kicking her until she could not move. After he finished beating her, Kearney stood over the victim and urinated on her.  Dallas police were notified the next day when the victim finally went to a hospital for treatment of her injuries. Dallas police investigated and Sgt. Hampton persuaded the reluctant victim to pursue charges.

The case was indicted as a 3rd degree felony because Kearney had previously been convicted of a misdemeanor family violence assault.  During sentencing, the Court heard evidence that Kearney had previously been convicted of assaulting two other women.  Additionally, Kearney’s victim testified in sentencing that Kearney had abused her multiple times before this offense and had threatened to kill her and her family if she ever reported him.  Before imposing the maximum sentence of 10 years in prison, the Court also considered evidence of multiple conduct infractions inside the Collin County jail.  These infractions included the assault of other inmates.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant Criminal District Attorneys Sarah Fox and Zeke Fortenberry.  The Honorable Mark J. Rusch presided over the case and assessed the 10 year sentence.

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