Seven individuals were sentenced in district court hearings conducted Thursday afternoon, May 28, via Zoom video conferencing due to required COVID-19 measures in place. District Judge Eddie Northcutt was located in the 8th Judicial District Courtroom, the defendants at Hopkins County jail, defense attorneys at either the county jail or courtroom, and Assistant District Attorney Matt Harris and Court Reporter Jana Rushing at other locations.
Brian Derek Wilson, 33, of Kentucky was assessed a 4-year commitment as part of an agreement after pleading guilty to possessions of a Penalty Group 1 controlled substance. He was also assessed a fine and fees.
He is to remain in Hopkins County jail until his transfer to state facility. Wilson received 180 days back credit for time served continuously following his arrest Nov. 30, 2019, on a possession of 4 grams or more but less than 200 grams of a Penalty Group 1 controlled substance, through the May 28 court proceeding.
Gonzalo Chairez-Navarro pled guilty to second-degree felony possession of 4 grams but less than 200 grams of a Penalty Group 1 controlled substance.
As part of an agreement, the 24-year-old Dallas man received 10 years deferred adjudication, to be served on probation, after serving 60 days starting May 28 and ending July 27, in the county jail. He too was assessed on a lab fee, a $1,500 fine, court and attorney fees. If he meets all terms of the probated sentence, he would be eligible after a specified period to petition for an order of nondisclosure.
Rebecca Jane Tanner, 39, of Addison pled guilty to possession of less than 1 gram of Penalty Group 1 controlled substance charge.
As part of an agreement she was sentenced to serve 10 months in a state jail, plus a fine, and court and attorney fees.
Tanner received 89 days credit toward her sentence for time served in Hopkins County jail since her arrest on March 1. She will remain in Hopkins County jail until her transfer to TDCJ to serve the remaining time on her sentence.
The sentence is to be served concurrently with any additional time she may be sentenced to serve elsewhere, and time in any other facility. She has a pending case in Lavaca County to revoke her probation on two felony charges, including assault on a public servant.
Cameron Bain, 26, of Pickton was assessed a 15-month sentence. He admitted to violating terms of probation, which he was on for possession of less than 1 gram of a Penalty Group 1 controlled substance.
He was given 291 days of back credit for time served in custody, and will continue to serve time in Hopkins County jail until he can be transferred to another facility.
The 15-month sentence is to be served concurrently with any additional time he might be assessed. Bain currently has a pending case in Rockwall.
Amanda Lanell Shanks, 31, of Sulphur Springs faced six charges: two first-degree felony manufacture or delivery of 4 grams or more but less than 200 grams of a Penalty Group 1 controlled substance charges, a second-degree felony manufacture or deliver of 1 gram or more but less than 4 grams of a Penalty Group 1 controlled substance charge, a third-degree felony prohibited substance or item in a correctional or civic community facility charge, aa third-degree felony tampering with or fabricating physical evidence with intent to impair charge, and a second-degree felony possession of 4 grams or more but less than 200 grams of a Penalty Group 1 controlled substance charge.
As part of an agreement for pleading guilty, Shanks received a 25-year-prison sentenced for the second-degree felony charge. Additional charges were dismissed. She has a prior Tarrant County conviction, for which she reportedly had probation revoked and was sentenced to 5 years in prison. A prior conviction enhances a second-degree felony to a first-degree felony.
She is to continue serving her sentence in Hopkins County jail until her transfer to Texas Department of Criminal Justice. She has remained in Hopkins County jail since her arrest May 12, 2019. She will receive 383 days worth of back credit on her sentence for the time she has been in custody. She also was assessed a $180 lab fee, $500 fine, and court and attorney fees.
Nicholas Chase Ochoa, who is also known as Chase Nicholas Ochoa, received 5-years deferred adjudication for a second-degree felony burglary of a habitation charge. The sentence is to be served on probation.
He also was assessed a $1,000 fine, restitution, court and attorney fees, to be paid out over the 5 years. If he completes the terms of the sentence, he could within the specified term afterward petition for an order of non-disclosure so the charge won’t appear on his record.
Dante Lamar Crosby, 29, of Sulphur Springs was in custody since his arrest Oct. 22, 2019, and faced 4 Hopkins County charges: three second-degree felony manufacture or delivery of 1 gram or more but less than 4 grams of a Penalty Group 1 controlled substance in a drug-free zone offenses and one third-degree felony possession of 1 gram or less of a Penalty Group 1 controlled substance in a drug-free zone offense.
As part of an agreement, Crosby the drug-free zone enhancement was dropped and three of the cases were dropped. However, the charge was enhanced from a potential sentence of 2-20 years to 25-99 years or life in prison due to two third-degree felony charges in other counties, a Delta County deadly conduct charge and a Hunt county possession of controlled substance charge. He was assessed a 25 year prison sentence, lab, court and attorney fees on that charge, and the other three which he admitted guilt to were dismissed.
Crosby will receive 220 days of back time credited to his sentence for the time he has remained in custody. He is to remain in Hopkins County jail until his transfer to another facility.
