On December 7, 2021, the Defendant was arrested for violently assaulting his common-law wife and striking her multiple times with a baseball bat. The victim fled to a neighbor’s house and called the police. On February 28, 2023, after hearing the courageous testimony of the victim, as well as the testimony of law enforcement and medical professionals, a Karnes County jury found Ruben Cano guilty of two counts of Aggravated Assault with a Deadly Weapon. The defendant elected to have Judge Russell Wilson determine his punishment. The case was reset for the Judge to obtain a pre-sentence investigation report prepared by the probation department.
At the sentencing hearing March 9, 2023, our office presented evidence that the defendant had previously been to prison twice, both times for Burglary of a Habitation. This enhanced the defendant’s punishment range from 2-20 years in prison to 25-99 years or life in prison. In addition, the State presented evidence that while on bond the defendant was charged with two other felonies and an additional charge while in custody at the GEO facility. After a contested punishment hearing, Honorable District Judge Russell Wilson sentenced the defendant to 60 years in prison. The defendant will have to serve at least half of his sentence before becoming eligible for parole.
We are grateful for the service of the Karnes County Jury, as well as the efforts of Karnes City Police Chief Eddie Salas and Sgt. Mike Ochoa, Probation Chief Valerie Campos, and Karnes County 1st Chair prosecutor Audrey Vasquez, Atascosa County 1st Chair Ryan Wright and our Chief Investigator Roland Trevino for fighting for justice for our victim and an effective presentation of the case. This defendant will no longer be a menace in our community thanks to everyone’s hard work.
