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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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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