Nine felony sentences handed out in District Court

Several prison and probation sentences were handed down over the last few days during proceedings of the 46th Judicial District Court of Wilbarger County.
Felony DWI
James Valdez, 50, of Vernon, was sentenced to four years in prison following his plea of guilty to felony driving while intoxicated.
On August 5, 2018, Vernon police were dispatched to Paradise Street in reference to one vehicle car accident. The car, driven by Valdez, had left the road way and struck a telephone pole.
When asked how much he had to drink, Valdez told officers that he had consumed a six pack earlier in the day. Valdez did poorly on the field sobriety tests and a blood analysis revealed that his blood alcohol concentration was .277, over three times the legal limit.
He was represented by Earl Griffin of Childress.
Sex offender failed to register
Jimmy Lynn McQuilliams, 49, of Vernon, was sentenced to two years in prison following his plea of guilty to failure to comply with registration requirements.
McQuilliams, a registered sex offender, had failed to register within 30 days of his birthdate with the Vernon Police Department. He was represented by Randall Walker of Wichita Falls.
Endangering a child
Summer Rigsby, 22, of Vernon, was sentenced to eighteen months in state jail following the revocation of her probation in a case of endangering a child.
Rigsby was placed on probation on June 2, 2018, with a special condition of probation that she complete a term of confinement and treatment in a substance abuse felony punishment facility (SAFPF) operated by the Texas Department of Criminal Justice.
Rigsby was unsuccessfully discharged from the SAFPF facility earlier this month and a motion to revoke her probation was filed.
She pleaded true to the violation of her probation. Rigsby was represented by Carey Jensen of Wichita Falls.
Warrant roundup leads to bigger charge
Carl Raymon Clark, IV, 25, of Vernon, was sentenced to five years’ probation and ordered to an inpatient drug rehab facility following his plea of guilty to possession of a controlled substance. On April 26, 2018, Clark was arrested as part of a municipal warrant roundup conducted by the Vernon Police Department.
After his arrest, police discovered a baggie of methamphetamine in Clark’s pocket.
Clark will be required to spend 60 days in the Wilbarger County Jail prior to be transported to a SAFPF facility. Clark must remain in the SAFPF facility for up to one year.
Additionally, Clark was fined $1,500 and must complete 150 hours of community service. He was represented by Angela Baskerville.
Family violence conviction
Tyrone Dewayne McBride, 38, of Vernon, was placed on probation for a period of three years following his plea of guilty to assault family violence.
On January 7, 2019, Vernon police responded to a domestic disturbance at a residence in Vernon. The victim told police that she and McBride were in a dating relationship and that they had been arguing throughout the day.
At one point, McBride grabbed her and struck her with his fist. Officers noted injuries consistent with the victim’s statement.
McBride must pay a fine of $1,500, complete 100 hours of community service, and complete the batterer intervention and prevention program. He was also represented by Walker.
Drug cases
Jacob Henry Yanes, 30, of Mesquite, Texas, was placed on probation for a period of three years after pleading guilty to possession of a controlled substance.
On May 15, 2018, a DPS trooper stopped Yanes for speeding on US HWY 287. The trooper noticed several indicators of criminal activity and asked Yanes for consent to search the vehicle. Yanes denied the search. The trooper contacted a K-9 unit which gave a positive alert on the vehicle for the presence of narcotics.
A small baggie of methamphetamine was located inside the car. In addition to the term of probation, Yanes was ordered to pay a fine of $1,500 and complete 150 hours of community service. He was represented by Earl Griffin.
Maya Victoria Luz Allen, 26, of Vernon, pleaded guilty to possession of a controlled substance and was placed on mandatory probation for a period of three years.
On July 6, 2018, a Vernon police officer made a stop on a vehicle driven by Allen for having a fictitious license plate. The officer noted several indicators of criminal activity and received consent to search the vehicle. A small baggie of methamphetamine was found in the vehicle. In addition to the term of probation,
Allen will be required to pay a fine of $1,500, complete 150 hours of community service, and attend a rehabilitation program at Helen Farabee. She was represented by Sage Seal of Childress.
Arzie Andrew Jackson, 52, of Vernon, was sentenced to two years in state jail following his plea of guilty to possession of a controlled substance. On June 30, 2018, a local resident contacted police about a person trespassing in a backyard shed. When officers arrived at the location they found Jackson and a small baggie of methamphetamine in plain view on a nearby mattress. Jackson admitted to officers that he is a methamphetamine user. Jackson was represented by Angela Baskerville of Vernon.
Money laundering
Muhammed Sulimar Naranjo, 43, of Houston, was placed on probation for a period of two years following his plea of guilty to money laundering.
On August 10, 2016, a DPS trooper performed a traffic stop on a vehicle driving South of US Hwy 287.
Naranjo was a passenger in the vehicle which was rented in his name. During the course of the stop, the trooper noted several indicators of criminal activity including that Naranjo and the co-defendant had flown to Denver only two days before the stop and then rented a vehicle one-way to return to Houston.
The occupants of the vehicle gave conflicting stories about the purpose of the trip and a K-9 was called to perform a free air sniff of the vehicle.
The dog alerted to the presence of narcotics and a probable cause search was performed on the vehicle. Troopers encountered a small amount of marijuana in the front passenger seat and in the rear of the vehicle they found a backpack with $16,100 in rubber banded US currency.
The currency was then separated from the vehicle and placed in a scent lineup with five clean bags. The dog again alerted on the cash.
The cases were prosecuted by the 46th Judicial District Attorney’s Office while District Judge Dan Mike Bird presided over the hearings and assessed the sentences.