252nd District Court hands 40-year sentence in Beaumont murder; multiple probations, bonds and pleas resolved

A presiding judge in the 252nd District Court sentenced Augusta Simon to 40 years in the Institutional Division of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice on a plea agreement after the court received a presentence report and victim-family statements. The judge accepted Simon’s guilty plea to a first-degree murder charge and imposed credit for time already served.

The sentence followed testimony from eyewitnesses and family members. Jalen Morris testified that, as he and the victim, Leroy Smith, left a club on Sept. 9, 2023, a person walked toward them and “just immediately shoots” Smith at close range, then fled, Morris said. Kristy Thomas, the victim’s mother, described Smith as nonviolent and said his six children have suffered since his death.

Prosecutor Smith urged the court to follow the plea agreement and the recommendation in the presentence investigation. Defense attorney Burbank asked the court to consider Simon’s statements of remorse and the pre-sentence report. Simon apologized in court and said, in part, “I do sincerely apologize.” The judge said the jail disciplinary reports and Simon’s record while in custody showed a pattern of rule violations and ordered the agreed 40-year cap under the bargain.

The court also resolved multiple other docket matters at the same hearing:

- Ridley McKinney: The court found two violation counts true, declined to revoke probation, continued McKinney on probation and imposed a 60-day jail sanction with credit for 44 days served.

- Janisha Leonard: The court set bonds in two probation-related causes at $5,000 each and noted additional bond obligations in other matters; the judge told Leonard she should use any release time to complete community service and to begin payments toward fees.

- Holly Rawls: Rawls pleaded guilty to possession of a controlled substance and was sentenced under an agreement to two years in the institutional division. In an associated motion to revoke deferred probation in a separate cause, Rawls entered pleas of true to counts 1–6; the court found them true and imposed a concurrent 12-month state-jail sentence. The court gave Rawls the trial-court certifications that waive appeal rights and handed a written admonishment about firearm-possession ineligibility under Texas law.

- Cody Dent: The court denied bond-setting for two motion-to-revoke-probation matters that included a new burglary allegation, citing Dent’s prior felony probations and the nature of the new offense. The judge ordered an expert evaluation and set a follow-up hearing.

- Linton Arseneau (Arseneau/Arseneau spelling in record): The court confirmed that the state’s plea offer had expired and that Arseneau elected to go to trial; the judge set the case for trial preparation.

In each criminal case where the court accepted plea agreements, the judge handed the defendant the trial-court certification showing the plea followed an agreement and told defendants they had waived certain appellate rights. The court also provided written admonishments about firearms where required by statute. The judge repeatedly reminded defendants on probation that further violations could result in revocation and terms of imprisonment tied to the original offenses.

The hearing combined contested matters, plea advisements and administrative steps; several matters were continued or set for further hearings where evaluations, witness testimony or trial preparation were required. No multiple-count omnibus appeals or changes to statutory law were made at the hearing.

Court participants listed their names on the record and testified; witnesses included Jalen Morris and Kristy Thomas for the murder matter, among others. The presiding judge addressed victims’ family members and the defendants before announcing rulings and sentences.