Judge orders warrant, accepts pleas and imposes deferred sentences in multiple cases at 187th District docket

A judge in the 187th District Court handled a busy docket Thursday, ordering a judge's warrant for a missing defendant and accepting multiple pleas that the court resolved with deferred adjudication, fines and treatment-oriented probation terms.

The court ordered a warrant after defense counsel Bridget Garza told the judge that her client, Donald Crawford, had not appeared. "The court will issue a judge's warrant and remain your client without bond," the judge said, directing a deputy to make an announcement in the hall.

Several other defendants entered pleas or had pleas accepted. The judge accepted a plea in State v. Kit Kilpatrick and announced a disposition that included a finding of guilt deferred to probation: an eight-year sentence suspended with four years of community supervision, regular reporting (by Zoom or in person), random urine analyses, a TAP evaluation and a referral to felony drug court if appropriate. The court also ordered field visits and 200 hours of community service with reductions tied to completion of parenting classes and sober-support meetings.

In State v. Cherry McKinley the judge accepted a no-contest plea and deferred adjudication. The court described recommended conditions from the state: two years of deferred adjudication, a TAP evaluation, 200 hours of community service restitution (with one hour deducted for each sober-support meeting completed), no unsupervised contact with minors, proof of employment within 45 days and potential referral to felony drug court or CPS treatment programs.

For Adeline Steely the court accepted a plea calling for a short custody term; the judge said the punishment to be assessed was 90 days in the Bexar County jail with credit for time served and reiterated that by waiving appeal the defendant limited grounds for appellate review.

Other matters resolved included Isidro Sanchez, whose plea called for a $1,000 fine (probated) and a recommendation of four years of community supervision with programming (TAP evaluation, 100 hours community service, DOEP and MRT) and routine testing. Multiple in-custody matters were continued for further review of lab discovery, mental-health evaluations and possible gang evaluations before determining eligibility for felony drug court.

The judge repeatedly emphasized treatment and monitoring: TAP evaluations, referrals to appropriate treatment courts when accepted, and structured sober-support meeting requirements tied to community-service reductions. Several contested hearings and plea-deadline dates were reset; the court set at least one contested hearing 21 days out (May 26) and directed some defendants to appear by Zoom on future dates.

"Addictions are hard," the judge told one defendant, urging honesty and continuity of care and adding that sober-support programs and drug-court participation could help secure housing and employment. The court also reminded defendants that certain convictions affect firearm possession and that waiving appeal narrows appellate options.

Next steps vary by case: a judge's warrant will be issued for the absent defendant; several matters return for contested hearings or discovery resets; other defendants will begin supervised probation, TAP evaluations and court-ordered programming as set by the court.