After hearing the courageous testimony of our the victim, the jury convicted and sentenced Santiago Mata to 70 years on two counts of Aggravated Sexual Assault of a Child. The jury also assessed the maximum punishment of 20 years on the remaining 7 counts (3 counts sexual assault of a child under 17, 2 counts of sexual assault, and 2 counts of Prohibited Sexual Conduct with a Descendant). The victim endured sexual acts from the age of 10 to 26 years old. The Honorable Russell Wilson stacked one of the sexual assault. This means the defendant must serve at least 40 years in prison before he is eligible to be considered for parole. The defendant is 61 years old. The jury, ADAs Marc Ledet and Lorena Whitney, Wilson County Sheriff Investigators Jack Derby, Lt. Joseph Dubs, Inv. Daria Fowler, and Deputy Joseph Martinez should all be commended as the first people to ever fight for our victim and show her that there is some good in this world. Her courage to come forward and tell the truth about everything she suffered will prevent Mata from harming any other children or women. In her victim impact statement, the victim stated that the years Mata received reflect all the tears she has cried. Justice served.
MAN SENTENCED TO 32 YEARS FOR CHARGING PLEASANTON POLICE OFFICER WITH A HAMMER and 20 YEARS FOR PUNCHING A CHILD
Within only weeks of his release from prison (and while on parole) for Aggravated Assault, Gregory Mendez, out of nowhere punched an 11-year-old who was visiting another child at his home. Mendez' mother tried to stop him, and he assaulted her as well. Other family members tried to intervene, and Mendez pulled a knife and threatened them, then fled on foot. Pleasanton Police Department arrived and began searching for Mendez. When he was found hiding behind a shed, instead of surrendering to officers, he charged Pleasanton PD Officer Bernal with a hammer. Officer Bernal tased Mendez, but it was ineffective. Officer Bernal then shot Mendez, who suffered non-life-threatening injuries. Mendez is a repeat offender and pled guilty to a cap of 35 years in prison on the Aggravated Assault and open to the court on the Injury to a Child, which was enhanced because of his prior conviction to a second degree felony with a punishment range of 2 to 20 years in prison. 81st Judicial District Judge Dillingham, after hearing all the evidence, sentenced Mendez to 32 years for the Aggravated Assault on a Public Servant and 20 years for the Injury to a Child (the maximum under the law).
We are grateful for the response of all the officers, in particular Officer Bernal for taking this dangerous individual off our streets. Thank you to Assistant District Attorney Ryan Wright for ensuring our community is protected by aggressively prosecuting this case. Mendez is eligible for parole once half of his sentence is served. Given Mendez' conduct after being granted parole only weeks earlier and his prior criminal history, we are hopeful the parole board will keep Mendez behind bars where he belongs for his full sentence!
KARNES COUNTY - MAN PLEADS TO 35 YEARS FOR AGGRAVATED ROBBERY
Thomas Ragsdale pled to 35 years in prison for his role in the Aggravated Robbery at the KC Food Mart in Kenedy. His plea prevented the victims from having to testify in trial, and required Ragsdale to waive his right to appeal. Thank you to Det. Barrientez and all the Kenedy PD officers for their hard work in solving this case. Thank you to Asst. DA Audrey Vasquez for ensuring justice is served. The streets are safer with Ragsdale behind bars. Ragsdale must serve at least half of his sentence before he is eligible for parole.
WILSON COUNTY JURY HANDS DOWN 90 YEAR SENTENCE TO CHILD MOLESTER
After a four day trial, a Wilson County jury found Esteban San Miguel guilty of Sexual Assault of a Child and Aggravated Sexual Assault of a Child. Through the bravery of the victim and her family, my office was able to put on evidence which showed the jury that he had preyed upon a minor over who he was placed in a position of trust. After a long deliberation in both guilt/innocence and punishment, the jury sentenced the defendant to a maximum of 20 years on the Sexual Assault and 90 years on the Aggravated Sexual Assault, plus a maximum fine of $10,000 in each count. We would like to thank the hard work of the jury in their deliberations and providing justice for our victim, and of the Wilson County Sheriff’s Office, especially Investigator Daria Fowler and Deputy Jimmy Fitz. We hope this sentence serves as a manner of closure and peace for our victim and a warning to those who would seek to prey upon our children.
ATASCOSA MAN SENTENCED TO 35 & 20 YEARS IN PRISON FOR SEXUALLY ASSAULTING TWO MINORS
Louis Lopez, 38, was sentenced to 35 years in prison for Aggravated Sexual Assault of a Child (a child under 14 years old) and 20 years in prison for Sexual Assault of a Child (a child under 17 years old). In August of 2022, a victim found out she was pregnant after feeling ill. Detectives from Pleasanton Police Department began working the sexual assault case with the Children’s Alliance of South Texas, and discovered that Lopez was the father. While investigating the case, a second outcry from another child, was made. She outcried that the defendant began abusing her when she was 7 years old. Lopez pled to a cap of 20 years on the Sexual Assault of a Child charge, the maximum under the law, and pled to a cap of 35 years for Aggravated Sexual Assault of a Child for the second victim. After considering the facts and the testimony of the one victim's parents, Judge Russell Wilson sentenced the defendant to 20 years for the Sexual Assault of a Child and 35 years for the Aggravated Sexual Assault charge plus a $10,000 fine on each case. Judge Wilson also granted lifetime protective orders for each of the victims in this case. One of the victims suffers from mental illness, and this plea bargain protected both victims from the stress of testifying and being cross-examined and guaranteed a conviction. As part of the plea, the defendant was required to waive all appeals. We hope the children can close this chapter and continue the healing process while knowing they will be safe from Lopez. Thank you to Brittany Ibara from the probation department for preparing the presentence investigation report, Children’s Alliance of South Texas for their forensic interviews of the children, and Lt. Jordan Harren of Pleasanton PD for his investigation. I am grateful to my Asst. DA Ryan Wright for seeing that justice was served.
ATASCOSA MAN GIVEN 30 YEARS IN PRISON FOR SHOOTING HIS WIFE
On January 29, 2024, Alejandro Contero, 79, was sentenced by Judge Russell Wilson to 30 years in prison for Aggravated Assault with Deadly Weapon Causing Serious Bodily Injury to Family Member, a first-degree felony. On October 18, 2022, Contero shot his wife of 56 years three times because she hadn’t prepared his meal. Contero confessed immediately and disabled his weapon. Contero pled guilty to the offense on November 27, 2023 with an agreement that punishment would be capped at 40 years. At the sentencing hearing, a family member testified to Contero’s temper and poor treatment of the victim and other family members throughout their lives. The victim prepared a statement presented through the Pre-Sentence Investigation outlining the abuse throughout their marriage. Because of the dedication of the family, Poteet Police Department, Texas Ranger John Lingle, Asst. DA Erika Price, Victim Advocate Katie Quinney, and Probation Officer Logan Morse who prepared the PSI, Mr. Contero's reign of abuse over his wife is over.
WILSON COUNTY DRUG DEALER GETS 8 YEARS IN PRISON
In a continuing effort by our office to get drug dealers off the streets, Nicholas Bosell-Maples, age 29, was sentenced by the Hon. Russell Wilson on January 24, 2024, to 8 years in prison for Manufacture or Delivery of a Controlled Substance between 1 and 4 grams.
Bosell-Maples, having been indicted on two separate charges of delivery of methamphetamine, sought mercy from the court and asked for deferred probation. However, we sought a prison sentence for dealing drugs more than once in Wilson County. While it continues to show the value of our prosecutors with the Border Prosecution Unit (BPU), dedicated to drugs, human smuggling, and gang violence, we extend a special thank you to Wilson County Sheriff’s Office for its continuing efforts to combat the drug trade in Wilson County. Thank you, BPU Prosecutor Cackie Hayes for your work on this case and all other BPU cases!
WILSON COUNTY MAN GIVEN 16 YEARS IN PRISON FOR INDECENCY WITH A CHILD
On October 19, 2023, 64-year-old Virgil Riley pled guilty to Indecency of a Child by contact and elected for the Court to assess punishment. On January 24, 2024, Riley asked the Court to be placed on deferred probation because of his age. Based on the facts and circumstances of the case, our office asked for 20 years in prison. After hearing testimony and evidence from witnesses, including the victim, the Honorable Russell Wilson sentenced the defendant to 16 years in prison. The victim bravely came forward when she was 13 about the abuse from when she was younger. The courage of the victim, with the work of Children's Alliance of South Texas, A Child Advocacy Center, Children's Hospital of San Antonio, and the Wilson County Sheriff’s Office, and work of prosecutors Lorena Whitney and Marc Ledet helped to provide some justice for our victim.
WILSON COUNTY - RODOLFO RUIZ SENTENCED TO 20 YEARS FOR AGGRAVATED ASSAULT ON PUBLIC SERVANT
Rodolfo Ruiz led multiple law enforcement agencies on a lengthy chase while they were attempting to apprehend him for stealing a truck. Ruiz traveled at speeds exceeding 100 miles per hour and crashed into the officers trying to apprehend him. Officers were able to box in Ruiz during the crash and because he refused to surrender, he had to be dragged out of the stolen truck. Based on this evidence, on December 5, 2023, a Wilson County jury found Rodolfo Ruiz guilty of Aggravated Assault on a Public Servant, Evading Arrest with a Vehicle, and Unauthorized Use of a Motor Vehicle. Ruiz requested the judge assess his punishment. On January 10th, after a contested punishment hearing, the Honorable Judge Jennifer Dillingham sentenced Ruiz to 20 years incarceration for Aggravated Assault on a Public Servant, 10 years for Evading with a Vehicle, and 2 years state jail for Unauthorized Use of a Motor Vehicle.
We are thankful to the Wilson County Sheriff’s Office and Floresville Police Department for their successful takedown of this offender in a very dangerous situation without injuring civilians or officers. Special thanks go to Sergeant Jeff Roser, Deputies Harold Rios, Toby Garcia and Damion Aguilar, and FPD Officer Kevin Pena. Their hard work and collaboration with Asst. DAs Marc Ledet and Lorena Whitney in preparing for trial and punishment secured a just result.
District Attorney Audrey Louis Elected as the 2024 Chair of Texas' Special Prosecution Unit
With the start of 2024, I am honored to begin my new position as Chair for the Special Prosecutions Unit (SPU) of Texas. SPU serves a vital function for our 81st Judicial District. SPU is a statewide office that assists district and county attorneys in prosecuting crimes in prisons and juvenile facilities across Texas and the civil commitment of sexually violent predators. With 3 TDCJ (prison) units in our district, the SPU provides a tremendous service to our district by prosecuting all crimes that happen behind prison walls (some of which are very violent and heinous), saving our office the additional resources these prosecutions require. I have proudly served on the board of SPU since taking office in 2017, and I am honored to serve as the 2024 Chair of SPU.
