252nd District Court: pleas accepted, competency treatment ordered and multiple cases reset or set for trial

The 252nd District Court in Jefferson County on Oct. 12, 2025 accepted several guilty pleas, ordered inpatient competency restoration in one case, reduced a bond in another and reset or set multiple cases for trial, the judge said.

The court found Victoria Bailey not competent to stand trial and ordered inpatient competency restoration at an appropriate facility "for a period of not to exceed 120 days," the judge announced. The judge directed that the court will revisit Bailey's cases after the restoration period.

The judge also accepted guilty pleas and imposed or scheduled sentences in several matters: George Celestine Jr. pleaded guilty to a state-jail felony of evading arrest and was sentenced under the parties' agreement to 60 days in the Jefferson County Jail; Lawrence Glover pleaded guilty to assault on a public servant and was sentenced under agreement to 10 years in the institutional division, to run concurrently with time he was serving on a parole revocation; and Antoine Deal, after admitting to violations and entering pleas of true on counts in a motion to revoke, was sentenced to five years in the institutional division. The judge handed defendants the required trial-court certifications and admonishments about firearm ineligibility in each sentencing.

In other matters the judge declined to accept previously offered plea bargains and reset the cases for trial or further motion hearings. For example, the court rejected plea offers in the cases of Jetson Bell and Christopher Bushnell and directed that those cases be placed on the trial docket. The judge told Bell, "after today, I will not accept this plea agreement," after ensuring Bell understood potential habitual-offender ranges discussed in court.

The court reduced bond for Chad Smith to a $1,000 personal bond and ordered immediate contact with probation: "If it's before 5, then get over there straight today," the judge instructed, adding that failure to report could jeopardize the agreement. For a defendant with multiple alleged probation violations, the judge set bond and ordered a continuous drug-monitoring condition (a drug patch) within 24 hours of release and warned that a positive result would return the defendant to custody.

Several cases were reset to allow defense counsel to review discovery, to permit plea discussions, or to give newly appointed counsel time to prepare. For example, the court granted one final reset for Brandon Dodd so defense counsel could complete preparation on a murder indictment; a new indictment for Jerry Jenkins was added and the judge reset that matter to the defendant's already-scheduled pretrial date; and other indictments and motions (including a first amended motion to revoke in one long-term probation matter) were set for later hearing dates.

The judge repeatedly told defendants that some plea offers would not be held once a case reached the trial docket: "I will not accept these plea agreements once your case goes on the trial docket," the judge said during several calendar calls. The court frequently ordered pre-sentence or updated probation reports before sentencing in cases where the judge accepted pleas but sought more background.

Court staff and the prosecutor identified immigration issues in at least one case and requested time for investigation before sentencing. The prosecutor and probation staff also recommended substance-abuse treatment or cognitive programs in several probation or sentencing matters; the court incorporated those recommendations where it followed the probation department's advice.

The docket included routine admonitions that convictions can affect eligibility to possess firearms under Texas law and reminders that guilty pleas can carry immigration consequences.

The court's calendar concluded with multiple resets and referenced upcoming trial settings; several defendants were returned to custody or released to the bailiff after each hearing.

What happens next: cases either proceed to scheduled trial dates, await probation or pre-sentence reports, or remain under active negotiation depending on the defendant and counsel. The court repeatedly instructed defense counsel to ensure defendants received and reviewed discovery and to report back at the next setting.