252nd District Court docket call: multiple plea rejections, competency findings and several guilty pleas and sentences

The 252nd District Court convened for a docket call during which the judge addressed a long list of criminal matters, including plea-bargain rejections, competency findings and multiple guilty pleas that produced sentences or treatment conditions.

The judge opened by reading cause numbers 2136410 and 2136411 and identifying Michael Victoria as charged with murder; defense counsel filed plea‑bargain rejection forms and the court advised Victoria that, if convicted under the indictment’s habitual‑offender allegations, his sentencing exposure could be a minimum of 25 years up to 99 years or life. Victoria confirmed he understood and rejected the offers, so the cases were placed on the trial docket.

Why it matters: Several defendants used the docket call to formally reject plea offers and require prosecutors and defense to prepare for trial, which accelerates preparation deadlines and preserves the state’s right to proceed to jury trials.

The session included numerous competency and probation‑revocation matters. The court found Travis Smith competent to stand trial after receiving forensic reports from the John Dunn Behavioral Science Center and other examiners and ordered his case scheduled for trial preparation. Christina Rodriguez’s matter was reset so a physician can evaluate her competency before the court proceeds.

Plea disposals and sentences were also entered. The court accepted guilty pleas and imposed sentences in multiple matters: Tyrone Alexander was sentenced under an agreement to 18 months in state jail for criminal mischief; Caleb LaFleur received a three‑year institutional term on an amended third‑degree theft; Justin Joseph was sentenced to two concurrent six‑year institutional terms across two causes; Jaden Simon entered guilty pleas in two cases and received concurrent 20‑year sentences (with an affirmative deadly‑weapon finding on the aggravated‑robbery count); and Calvin Hawkins Jr. was sentenced to six years for unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon. In each case the court handed defendants the trial‑court certification and a written admonishment about ineligibility to possess firearms under Texas law.

Probation matters: The court addressed multiple motions to revoke probation. Victor Perez pleaded true to several alleged violations (including a DWI) and, after the state abandoned one count, the court entered a four‑year institutional sentence in accordance with the parties’ disposition. By contrast, the court declined to revoke Herbert Riley’s probation, instead continuing him on supervision conditioned on successful re‑entry into the safety program and emphasizing that a subsequent violation would expose him to an eight‑year term agreed previously.

On procedure and discovery, defense counsel raised missing or unavailable evidence in one firearm possession prosecution (the defendant’s counsel reported that requested body‑cam and dash‑cam footage was not available); the court documented the concern on the record and advised counsel on available remedies including issuing subpoenas and pursuing a hearing.

Key quote: The judge, addressing a defendant placed back into the safety continuum, told him: “The amount of money that it cost us to send you to safety is ridiculous. And the fact that everybody’s willing to work with you and do it again means they think there’s something worth saving.” (Judge, admonition to Herbert Riley.)

Next steps: Cases in which defendants formally rejected plea offers were numbered for trial and those defendants will proceed to jury settings; matters reset for competency evaluations will return within weeks; and sentenced defendants will be processed for transfer or receive credit for time served as directed by the court.

The docket call reflected a mix of contested and negotiated outcomes that will produce multiple forthcoming trial preparations and scheduled hearings.