February 2, 2015

(McKinney, Texas) – Melinda Muniz, of Plano, was convicted of the capital murder of Grace Lillian Ford, age 2 and received an automatic sentence of life without the possibility of parole, announced Collin County District Attorney Greg Willis. January 9, 2014 Muniz called her fiancé, who then called 911 when he overheard sounds as if Muniz was being attacked. Plano police were dispatched to the apartment that Muniz shared with her fiancé and his daughter Grace. When the police arrived they found Muniz lying on the floor of her apartment with duct tape over her mouth and her pants pulled down around her ankles.  Grace Ford was found in her bed, unresponsive, with duct tape over her mouth and nude from the waist down.

In an interview with police that night, Muniz claimed to have been attacked and sexually assaulted by an intruder as she and Grace entered their apartment.  Muniz claimed that the intruder put duct tape over her and Grace’s mouths.  Due to the suffocation, Grace never regained consciousness and died three days later.

During the course of the investigation, Plano Police discovered that Muniz had been at the Dollar Tree store in Plano shortly before the 911 call.  Muniz was seen on video at Dollar Tree pushing Grace in the shopping cart while purchasing duct tape, zip ties, scissors and cotton swabs.  In a subsequent interview with Plano police detectives, Muniz claimed she was suffering from amnesia and did not remember the events before finally admitting she had lied about being attacked by an intruder.  Muniz then claimed that Grace had put the duct tape over her own mouth and when Muniz found her unresponsive she “freaked out” and staged a crime scene.

The jury returned a guilty verdict for capital murder resulting in an automatic sentence of life without the possibility of parole.  Assistant District Attorneys Zeke Fortenberry, Lisa King and Ashley Rittenmeyer represented the State of Texas.  Plano Detective Robyn Busby was the lead investigator on the case.  Judge Mark Rusch presided over the case.

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January 30, 2015

(McKinney, Texas) – DWI drivers need to be on notice that this will be a “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” Superbowl 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 January 30 – February 2, 2015 is a “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” weekend in Collin County.

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January 29, 2015

(McKinney, Texas) – Joe Jordan, a habitual violent offender, received 40 years in prison for Aggravated Assault with a Deadly Weapon, announced Collin County District Attorney Greg Willis.

Joe Jordan and the victim had a dating relationship that lasted approximately five months.  In early November 2013 that relationship ended after Jordan punched the victim in the mouth, knocking out one of her front teeth.  The victim never reported that assault and the two remained in contact.  On November 20, 2013, the victim went to see Jordan.  Jordan became angry that the victim drove over to his residence in another man’s vehicle and would be returning to a home where another man was staying.  When the victim arrived at Jordan’s residence, Jordan opened the door to the car and brutally punched the victim in the mouth using a pair of brass knuckles.  When the victim was struck, her remaining front tooth was knocked into the roof of her mouth.  Jordan demanded that the victim drive him over to where the male friend was staying so that he could assault him as well.  When the victim was able to escape, she went to the emergency room and reported the assault to McKinney Police.

The jury returned a guilty verdict on January 28, 2015 for Aggravated Assault with a Deadly Weapon.  During the punishment phase, the State introduced evidence that Jordan had been convicted of multiple aggravated assaults against other women and had been to prison on two separate occasions.  Presiding Judge Scott Becker sentenced Jordan to 40 years in prison.

Prosecutors Rebekah Perlstein and Brandon Wonnacott prosecuted the case and were assisted by District Attorney Investigator Dale Dowdy.  The case was investigated by McKinney Police Sgt. Shawn Fuller and Detective Roy Baxter.

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January 20, 2015

(McKinney, Texas) – Melvin Pierre, 46, of Plano, received the maximum 20 year sentence in prison for Sexual Assault of a Child, announced Collin County District Attorney Greg Willis.

In a nonjury trial, evidence showed that in September of 2012, Pierre and three of his friends forced the 15 year old victim to have sex with them in a bedroom.  Each one of the males took turns having sex with her and one of the males started video recording the incident. The victim later outcried to a therapist. This outcry led to an investigation by Plano Police Detective Chris Jones.  The victim identified Pierre by a nickname and through a photo line-up.

After arrest, Pierre admitted to having oral sex with the victim and confirmed that multiple male friends of his also had sex with her. But Pierre denied knowing victim’s age and said the sex was consensual.  Evidence in trial, however, showed that the victim told Pierre that she was a minor. Pierre told her to tell the others that she was 19 years old.  In punishment, the Court considered evidence from a second victim who testified that Pierre had touched her inappropriately as well. Pierre was convicted of sexual assault of a child and sentenced to the maximum 20 years in prison by State District Judge Scott Becker.

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Deadline to apply is February 17, 2015

DA’s Citizen Prosecutor Academy Application

DA’s Citizen Prosecutor Academy Announcement – 2015 Spring Session

January 9, 2015

(McKinney, Texas) – Kethan Andre Peoples, 30, of Whitehouse, Texas was sentenced to 40 years in prison by a jury on Friday for Aggravated Kidnapping, announced Collin County District Attorney Greg Willis.

Evidence showed that on the morning of April 3, 2014, Peoples abducted his ex-girlfriend from the parking lot of her work in Plano, duct taping her wrists and legs together, and forcing her into the backseat of his car.  During this time, the victim dropped her cell phone, and her fiancé called 911 after overhearing the struggle.  Over the next two hours, Peoples drove around with his victim restrained in his car.  While stopped at a secluded apartment complex, Peoples tried to pull the victim out of the back seat.  The victim had loosened the duct tape around her legs and attempted an escape.  Peoples gave chase, recaptured her, and repeatedly punched her in the head and face, resulting in injuries.

Securing the victim again in the back seat of the car, Peoples continued his drive, making a second stop at a quiet Duncanville park.  Through the use of emergency GPS tracking of the victim’s cell, Plano police tracked the victim’s location toward and into Duncanville. Duncanville police were contacted, provided information of the GPS coordinates, and a description of People’s car. Duncanville officers saw two individuals matching the missing victim and Peoples at the park, and confirmed the vehicle at the park belonged to Peoples.  Officers took Peoples into custody at gunpoint without further incident.

Peoples will be eligible for parole consideration in 20 years.
Assistant Criminal District Attorneys Abby Nettles Policastro and Lisa Milasky King prosecuted the case and they were aided by District Attorney Investigators Ray McCommas and Michael Bennett. The case was investigated by the Plano Police Department with the assistance of the Duncanville Police Department.  District Judge Benjamin Smith presided over the case.

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October 17, 2014

(McKinney, Texas) – DWI drivers need to be on notice that this will be a “Drive Sober or Else” 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 Else” 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 Oct. 17-19, 2014, is a “Drive Sober or Else” weekend in Collin County.

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October 10, 2014

(McKinney, Texas) – William Sedric Autrey, 45, of Arlington, was sentenced to life in prison on four counts of engaging in organized criminal activity, announced Collin County District Attorney Greg Willis today.

In the spring of 2010, Autrey and members of his crew burglarized multiple homes in the Glen Eagles Country Club area of Plano.  The crew would kick in doors, storm the house, tie up the homeowners, and hold them at gunpoint.  They would then ransack the house for money, jewelry, and electronics.

Autrey was also responsible for several home invasions that occurred across the DFW Metroplex from 2005 to 2010. Autrey wore a mask and gloves to prevent identification and would communicate with his accomplices via a two-way radio.

Plano police developed Autrey as a suspect after receiving calls from homeowners about a suspicious vehicle in their neighborhood.  The license plate number reported came back to Autrey’s wife.  Plano police then began to track Autrey’s vehicle.  Police also followed up on other leads and obtained a court order to track Autrey’s cell phone.  Plano and Irving police used this duel tracking to catch Autrey and others minutes after they committed a burglary in Irving.

Autrey was found with masks, guns, and stolen property.  One of the masks contained Autrey’s DNA and was linked to a home invasion in Coppell, where a 15-year-old girl was tied up and held at gunpoint. During a search of Autrey’s house, police found notebooks and paperwork with hundreds of addresses, some of which were homes in Plano that had been burglarized.  Additionally, the search of Autrey’s house turned up property from some of those Plano homes.

The Collin County sentence was stacked on top of a 75-year prison sentence Autrey received on a similar case in Dallas.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant Criminal District Attorneys Wes Wynne and Randy Goodwin, with the assistance of DA Investigator Robin Laughon.  Judge John Roach, Jr., presided over the case and pronounced sentencing.

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September 19, 2014

(McKinney, Texas) – Tom Iles White, 41, of Plano, received a sentence of 30 years without the possibility of parole for Continuous Sexual Abuse of a Young Child, with 10 more years stacked on top for Indecency with a Child, announced Collin County District Attorney Greg Willis.

Evidence showed that White began showing his relative pornography when she was just four years old, and began molesting her around the age of six.  From that time until she was 12, he would make her participate in sexual acts multiple times a week.

Finally, the 12-year-old victim was able to confide to an adult relative what had been happening to her for so long — she “just wanted it to stop.”  The police were called and all of the children were immediately removed from the home. Plano Police officers responded and investigated, as did Child Protective Services.

After obtaining a search warrant, detectives discovered that White’s work laptop and the tower containing the hard drive to his home computer had disappeared.  Testimony revealed that he previously always had his laptop with him, and the computer tower had been in the home before the mother left.  However, a bag of teenage-themed pornography was found in White’s closet.

The jury returned a guilty verdict Thursday for one count of Continuous Sexual Abuse of a Young Child, four counts of Indecency with a Child by Contact and one count of Indecency with a Child by Exposure.  On Friday, the jury then sentenced White to 30 years without parole on the first count, 10 years each on the Indecency by Contacts and five years for Indecency by Exposure.  Presiding Judge James Fry stacked the sentences to equal 40 years total.

Assistant District Attorneys Crystal Levonius and Daniel Lewis prosecuted the case, assisted by District Attorney Investigator Kenneth Newton.  The case was investigated by Plano Police Detectives James Phelan and Chris Jones.

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August 25, 2014

(McKinney, Texas) – Roger Allen Stulce, Jr., 42, of McKinney, was convicted and sentenced to 20 years in prison for the rape of his ex-wife, announced Collin County District Attorney Greg Willis.

Jury trial testimony revealed that the victim had been married to Stulce for 14 years at the time of the assault, on July 19, 2008.  The victim testified that throughout their marriage, Stulce was sexually aggressive and asked her to participate in sexually deviant behavior.   Despite her objections, Stulce forced the victim to engage in sexual acts without her consent on at least four separate occasions, including the sexual assault on July 19, 2008.

On that day, Stulce had just been released from a hospital for substance abuse problems.  The assault occurred within hours of his arrival back at their home in McKinney.

The jury returned a guilty verdict on Thursday of last week and on Friday sentenced Stulce to the maximum punishment of 20 years in prison and a $10,000 fine.  Stulce was previously convicted in two separate trials in December 2013 and April 2014 for the sexual assault of two other women, and received the same maximum punishment in each case.  He met those victims by running a Craigslist ad to sublease his apartment.  All three 20-year sentences are to run consecutively, amounting to a total of 60 years.

Assistant Criminal District Attorneys Ashley Keil and Lisa King prosecuted the case and were assisted by District Attorney Investigator Robin Laughon. Judge Ben Smith presided over the trial.

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August 21, 2014

(McKinney, Texas) – Keith Allen Foster, 36, of Princeton, received a sentence of 50 years without the possibility of parole for Continuous Sexual Abuse of a Young Child, announced Collin County District Attorney Greg Willis.

Evidence showed that Foster molested his step-daughter multiple times in 2012 and 2013 while she was 8 and 9 years old.  Foster and the victim’s mother had been together since 2005 when the victim was just 4 years old.  The victim’s 13-year-old sister and her best friend were the first to speak with the 9-year-old about what was happening to her.  They suspected something might be wrong by the way she was acting and because of Foster’s behavior around the older two girls.

The 9-year-old victim confided in her sister and friend that Foster had “made her do things to him” while their mother wasn’t home. The older sister called her mother, aunt and grandmother to tell them what she had discovered.  The police were called, and both Child Protective Services and the Collin County Sheriff’s Department began investigations.

Evidence showed that the girls’ mother worked outside of the home as a housekeeper.  Foster rarely worked and was in charge of watching the children during the day.  All three girls testified at trial about Foster’s behavior and actions. Search warrant-obtained evidence from Foster’s cell phone included many websites and search terms for child pornography and teen erotica.

The jury returned a guilty verdict Wednesday for Continuous Sexual Abuse of a Young Child and Presiding Judge Richard Davis sentenced Foster to 50 years in prison without parole.

Assistant District Attorneys Daniel Lewis and Shannon Miller prosecuted the case and were assisted by District Attorney Investigator Kenneth Newton.  The case was investigated by Collin County Sheriff’s Sergeants Jim Blackburn and Chris Meehan.

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McKinney, Texas – Jacky Scott Garrett, 43 of Frisco, received an automatic sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole after the jury found him guilty of the Capital Murder of his 22 month old adopted son, announced Collin County District Attorney Greg Willis. Read more ›

June 26, 2014

(McKinney, Texas) – Charles Doyal, 23, of Dallas, received four life sentences today for three counts of Aggravated Robbery and one count of Aggravated Sexual Assault, announced Collin County District Attorney Greg Willis.

Evidence showed that Doyal orchestrated a robbery with two accomplices.  One accomplice unlocked the victims’ front door from the inside, while Doyal and another man burst in with a gun and a knife.  Both men wore ski masks.  Doyal cut a male victim with his knife, forced a female to the floor, and stomped on the back of her head.  Doyal then went upstairs and kicked in the bedroom door to the male victim’s sister, who was asleep in her room.  Doyal approached her with the knife and sexually assaulted her by digital penetration.  Doyal and his accomplices fled the house with computers, clothes, and cash.

Plano Police Detective Beth Chaney secured search warrants for the perpetrators’ cell phone records, as well as Doyal’s DNA.  Doyal’s DNA proved to be a match with swabs taken from the sexual assault victim, and a search of his phone showed text messages setting up the robbery.

The jury returned a guilty verdict on Wednesday on one count of Aggravated Sexual Assault and three counts of Aggravated Robbery after an hour and a half of deliberations.  The punishment phase began Thursday morning with evidence that Doyal was on parole for Aggravated Assault with a Deadly Weapon at the time he committed these offenses.  State District Judge Angela Tucker assessed punishment at life in prison on all four counts.

Prosecutors Thomas Ashworth and Tiffany Green prosecuted the case and were assisted by District Attorney Investigator Rodney Neal.

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June 6, 2014

(McKinney, Texas) – Timothy James Taylor, 34, of Colorado, received a life sentence for Continuous Sexual Abuse of a Young Child, announced Collin County District Attorney Greg Willis.

Evidence showed that Taylor molested his step-daughter multiple times from 2009 to 2011 when she was 9 to 11 years old.  The victim and her family, including Taylor, moved to McKinney in the summer of 2009 to work on what Taylor called “an organic farm.”  The family of six lived in a dilapidated trailer without running water or electricity.  Three of the four oldest children, including the victim, slept in a tent outdoors and were made to bury their waste in the backyard as the home had no toilet.  Taylor, who shared a bed with the victim’s mother, would leave his room and night and lie down naked with the victim to molest her.  The victim testified that the abuse continued on an almost nightly basis for the full two years they lived in McKinney.

Although the victim told her mother and a family friend about the abuse by Taylor, neither reported it to the police.  In 2012, the police were contacted by the victim’s Aunt because the victim disclosed the abuse to her.

The jury returned a guilty verdict on Friday on one count of Continuous Sexual Abuse of a Child and one count of Indecency with a Child by Contact after less than an hour of deliberation.  The punishment phase began Friday afternoon and the jury sentenced Taylor on the convictions.

Prosecutors Daniel Lewis and Claire Miranda prosecuted the case and were assisted by District Attorney Investigators Stephanie Strickland and Greg Bowers.  The case was investigated by Allen Detectives P.D. Jackson and Michelle Peel. Judge John R. Roach, Jr., presided over the case.

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May 16, 2014

(McKinney, Texas) – Antwon Carter, 26, of Dallas, received a life sentence from a Collin County jury for the murder of another Dallas man, announced Collin County District Attorney Greg Willis.

Testimony showed that Carter and his victim had a friendly relationship and that Carter would buy marijuana from the victim. On one occasion, Carter believed that the marijuana he purchased from the victim was of low quality, and he overpaid for it. Carter was angry and arranged another drug buy from his victim.

On January 8, 2013 they met at the Red Rock Bar & Grill off Frankford Road in Dallas.  Carter greeted his friend, drew his 9mm handgun and shot his victim four times, killing him.  Carter then turned his attention to a female friend of the victim and attempted to shoot her but was out of bullets.  Carter then fled from the scene to his nearby car.

Dallas police responded to a 911 call, and Detective Tim Stewart investigated the case.  That investigation uncovered video from surveillance cameras at the bar, gathered phone records placing Carter in the area, and NTTA tollbooth records revealing Carter’s escape route.  Detective Stewart also identified Carter as the killer through witness testimony and other evidence.  The jury convicted Carter after three hours of deliberations.

Once in the punishment phase of the trial, prosecutors presented even more evidence of Carter’s violent acts.  Multiple assaults were proved including that Carter struck a four-year-old girl with an aluminum bat.  Prosecutors also showed Carter committed a series of aggravated robberies.

Assistant District Attorneys Randy Goodwin and Wes Wynne prosecuted the case, and Judge John Roach, Jr. presided over the trial.

Carter must serve at least 30 years of his sentence before becoming eligible for parole.

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April 15, 2014

(McKinney, Texas) – Todd Reich, 40, of Plano, was sentenced Monday to 12 years in prison for molesting one of his students, announced Collin County District Attorney Greg Willis today.

Reich was a Physical Education coach at Plano ISD’s Hunt Elementary School in Murphy from 2005 to 2012. In 2009 he molested a 9 year old girl who was in his P.E. class. Reich would hug the victim and use that as an opportunity to molest her. He touched the girl’s breast and forced her to touch his genitals.

Earlier that same year the school had reprimanded Reich for emailing the girl on her school email account. At that time school authorities were unaware of the sexual contact. Then in 2012, after seeing a video on inappropriate touching, the girl brought the offense to the attention of school officials at her new school.

Reich started his relationship with the victim by having her act as his helper. He had her deliver messages to other students and aid in putting away PE equipment used during class. This created situations where she would be alone with Reich in his office.

Reich was convicted of two counts of Indecency with a Child. The jury sentenced Reich to 6 years of prison in each case and the court stacked the sentences for a 12 year total sentence. He will be eligible for parole in 6 years.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant Criminal District Attorneys Crystal Levonius and Wes Wynne. Judge John Roach Jr. presided over the case.

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