Judge sentences Jalen White to 10 years probation after possession-of-prohibited-weapon plea

A Jefferson County judge found Jalen White guilty of possessing a prohibited weapon and sentenced him to a 10-year prison term that the court probated, ordering 10 years of supervised probation, a $1,000 fine and mandated substance‑use and cognitive treatment. The judge also ordered forfeiture of the weapon and no contact with two co‑defendants.

The ruling followed a hearing during which Detective Anthony "Ryan" Kidwell of the Port Arthur Police Department described prior shooting incidents and told the court White had been on law‑enforcement radar since 2020. "It's every day that they are with all this shooting," the judge said while explaining the sentence and its public‑safety rationale.

Why it matters: Prosecutors and the judge emphasized community safety and the prevalence of high‑powered firearms in local violence. Defense counsel stressed White's lack of prior felony convictions, his reported willingness to accept responsibility and the potential collateral harm of a felony conviction to his ability to work and support two young children.

The court ordered that White enter and successfully complete the cognitive track of the Intermediate Sanctions Facility (ISF) program as a condition of probation. The judge warned that any positive drug patch or additional incident reports would likely return White to custody and trigger the underlying 10‑year prison sentence. The judge also banned contact between White and two named passengers from the vehicle in which the weapon was found: Christopher Baker and Chan Rubin, and signed an order for weapon forfeiture.

Detective Kidwell testified about prior shootings and described the local pattern of violence and limited witness cooperation; defense counsel countered that White had limited jail incident reports and no prior felony convictions. White's mother, Barbara Shawn Robertson, testified that family members will provide support and said she would ensure firearms in the household are secured or removed.

Court action: The judge entered the guilty finding, imposed the 10‑year sentence and probated it, ordered participation in ISF, a $1,000 fine, weapon forfeiture, no contact with specified individuals and a high‑monitoring probation caseload after ISF. The judge also gave the defendant the written admonishments required under Texas law regarding firearm ineligibility.

The case will continue under probation supervision and the court directed probation to enforce the no‑contact and treatment conditions.