252nd District Court processes dozen criminal pleas, sentences and probation actions

The Presiding Judge of the 252nd District Court on the docket day accepted multiple guilty pleas, imposed agreed sentences and handled probation matters, including a revocation that resulted in a state prison term and a separate competency restoration order.

The court accepted plea agreements and imposed sentences for several defendants, continued another defendant on probation with program and payment conditions, ordered inpatient competency restoration for one defendant found not competent to stand trial, and revoked probation and sentenced another defendant to prison following pleas of true to several violations.

The courtroom actions affected a range of felony and state-jail offenses and included conditions such as participation in the ISF cognitive track, a required $2,040 good-faith payment in one case, a $500 fine and deferred probation in another, and court-ordered drug-monitoring and reporting conditions tied to bond reductions.

Docket outcomes (case numbers and key details):

- Darren Furlong (cause nos. 250515 and 250517): The court accepted guilty pleas to a third-degree obstruction/retaliation charge and a second-degree assault on a peace officer charge. The judge sentenced Furlong under the parties' agreement to 5 years in the institutional division of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice on each case, to run concurrently, and ordered dismissals in related causes 250518 and 250516 as part of the plea agreement. The judge also provided a written admonishment about ineligibility to possess firearms.

- Ebony Broussard (three probation files including the 10-year deferred probations placed in 2020 and a 5-year deferred probation placed 7/12/2021): The court heard motions to revoke unadjudicated probation alleging failures to report, failure to provide 2024 tax-return documents and arrears in court-assessed fees. Broussard admitted (pleaded true) to the alleged counts. Instead of revoking probation, the judge continued her on probation and imposed conditions including required enrollment and successful completion of the ISF program’s cognitive track and a stated good-faith payment of $2,040 toward fees; the court warned that future noncompliance could lead to incarceration.

- Lawrence Marks (cause no. 241763): The court accepted a guilty plea to aggravated assault with a deadly weapon (alleged July 30, 2024) and, consistent with the plea agreement, sentenced Marks to 10 years in the institutional division of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. The judge made an affirmative deadly-weapon finding and provided the standard admonishment on firearm ineligibility.

- Avion Johnson (cause no. 242044): Johnson entered a no-contest plea to a first-degree arson charge and the court noted the agreement appeared to be for a 5-year deferred probation. The judge reset the case for a presentence investigation so the probation department could prepare a report before final sentencing.

- Ray LeBlanc (cause no. 250460): The court accepted a guilty plea to burglary of a building (state-jail felony) and, per the agreement, sentenced LeBlanc to six months in the Jefferson County jail under Penal Code section 12.44 and provided the firearm-ineligibility admonishment.

- Derek Ardoin (cause no. 250350): Ardoin pleaded guilty to a second-degree assault offense and the court accepted the plea. The agreement included a 6-year cap on punishment; the judge reset the case so the probation department can prepare a presentence report before sentencing.

- James Burrell (cause no. 2239838): The court received pleas of true to multiple alleged probation violations (counts including failures to report and alleged arrests for possession offenses). The judge revoked Burrell’s community supervision and, under the plea agreement, assessed punishment at four years in the institutional division of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice.

- Eddie Garcia Aragon (cause no. 240282): After discussion on immigration holds, the court later accepted a guilty plea to burglary of a building (state-jail felony) and sentenced Garcia Aragon to one year in the Jefferson County Jail under Penal Code section 12.44. The court provided a Spanish-language firearm-ineligibility admonishment and noted an immigration hold was present earlier in proceedings.

- Justin Thomas (cause no. 250308): The court took judicial notice of a competency evaluation finding by a doctor that Thomas is not currently competent to stand trial and ordered inpatient competency restoration for up to 120 days at an appropriate facility.

- Trevante (listed in the record as Veil) (multiple cause numbers including 241418, 242445, 2500025, 242061, 241933): The court found that Veil had regained competency after a restoration placement, accepted guilty pleas in multiple cases (harassment by a person in a correctional or detention facility in several causes and an attempt to commit assault on a peace officer in another), and sentenced him, under the agreements, to terms of five years in the institutional division of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice on the listed causes. The judge ordered the sentences to run concurrently and provided the firearm-ineligibility admonishment.

- Desiree (Desiree) Roberts (cause no. 241821): The court accepted a guilty plea to possession of marijuana and the agreement called for a three-year deferred probation with a $500 fine. The judge reduced bond to a $1,000 personal bond, required the defendant to report to probation immediately on release so a presentence investigation could proceed, and ordered a court-ordered drug patch (to be applied within 24 hours of release and changed every two weeks) as a condition tied to bond and monitoring. The court indicated a pre-sentence report would be prepared.

What happened in court: the Presiding Judge repeatedly emphasized that plea agreements waive appeal rights when the judge follows them, reminded defendants of immigration and firearm-possession consequences, and—where applicable—ordered presentence investigations or competency restoration placements before final sentencing. The court repeatedly told defendants they would receive credit for time already served where the law allows.

The courtroom also addressed administrative issues such as the printing and signing of trial court certifications and admonishments, language-access documents for Spanish-speaking defendants, and the procedural handling of detainers and immigration holds.

Presiding Judge comment: addressing repeated noncompliance, the Presiding Judge told one probationer, “If you're not on a felony probation times 3, you can do whatever you want. But when you're on felony probation, you have to follow rules … You have to be respectful to people who are in charge of you, who are just doing their job, your probation officer.”

Ending note: Several matters were reset to allow the probation department to prepare presentence reports or to permit counsel and the state to clarify paperwork; a handful of defendants were released on conditions pending those reports or were remanded as their sentences required. The court’s actions will be reflected in the trial-court certifications and written admonishments distributed in each case.