Pleas entered in District Court
Several guilty pleas were entered during proceedings of the 46th Judicial District Court of Wilbarger County during proceedings this week.
Cody Allen Baldwin, 28, of Vernon, was sentenced to six years in prison for aggravated assault. Baldwin was originally placed on probation on March 8, 2017. A motion to revoke Baldwin’s probation was filed by the District Attorney’s office when Baldwin was arrested for criminal trespass committed in Vernon on December 12, 2019. Baldwin pleaded true to the violation of his probation. He was represented by Angela Baskerville of Vernon.
Detrion Deshay Daniels, 29, of Vernon, was sentenced to four years in prison following the revocation of his probation in a case of assault family violence. Daniels was originally placed on probation on October 3, 2018, for a period of five years. A motion to revoke his probation was filed alleging that Daniels had committed another assault family violence on November 27, 2019. Daniels pleaded true to the violation of his probation. He was represented by Sage Seal of Childress.
Booth Dean Freeman, 79, of Vernon, was placed on community supervision for ten years following his plea of guilty to sexual assault of a child. On March 12, 2019, Child Protective Services reported to the Vernon Police Department that the victim, who was under the age of fourteen, had made an outcry of sexual abuse. Freeman, who is the grandfather of the victim, was identified as the perpetrator and he gave a confession to the police.
According to DA Staley Heatly, the victim did not wish for Freeman to be sentenced to prison which was a factor in how the case was handled. Freeman will be required to undergo sex offender counseling and will have to register as a sex offender for life. He was represented by Rick Mahler of Wichita Falls.
Brandon Dashon Callaway, 27, of Vernon, was sentenced to six months in state jail for possession of a controlled substance following his plea of guilty to the offense. On December 16, 2018, Vernon police responded to a reported assault at a residence in Vernon. When officers arrived, the victims stated that Callaway was acting crazy and that he had sprayed pepper spray on them. Callaway was arrested for misdemeanor assault. At jail, Callaway admitted to being in possession of small amount of methamphetamine. He was represented by Earl Griffin of Childress.
Rose Nava Rodriguez, 55, of Vernon, was placed on probation for a period of seven years and required to spend sixty days in the county jail following her plea of guilty to unlawful possession of a firearm. On June 24, 2019, a Vernon police officer initiated a traffic stop on a vehicle being driven by Rodriguez. The officer immediately observed in plain view a Mossberg .22 caliber rifle in the passenger seat next to Rodriguez. When the officer ran a license check on Rodriguez, he discovered that she had a prior felony conviction. In addition to term of probation and jail time, Rodriguez was ordered to pay a fine of $3,500 and complete 350 hours of community service. She was represented by Sage Seal of Childress.
Terry Darnell Brooks, 58, of Vernon, was placed on mandatory probation for five years following his plea of guilty to possession of a controlled substance. On May 6, 2019, Vernon police responded to a local residence in reference to a domestic disturbance. Brooks and his girlfriend were arguing in the roadway when police arrived. Officers were aware that the girlfriend had a protective order against Brooks and he was not supposed to be in contact with her. During the course of arresting Brooks for violation of a protective order, officers located a small glass pipe and a baggie of methamphetamine in his pocket. In addition to the term of probation, Brooks was ordered to pay a fine of $1,500, complete 150 hours of community service, and to attend outpatient drug rehabilitation services at Helen Farabee. He was represented by Stacy Kosub of Wichita Falls.
Michael David More, 39, of Vernon, was placed on probation for four years and ordered to complete a term of rehabilitation in a court residential treatment center (CRTC). On December 6, 2018, a Vernon police officer made a traffic stop on a vehicle being driven by More with a broken headlight. During the course of the stop, the officer noted several indicators of criminal activity and a K-9 was called to the scene. The officer performed a pat down of More and felt a meth pipe in his jacket pocket. The officer also located a small baggie containing methamphetamine in the same pocket. The CRTC program lasts between nine and twenty-four months depending upon participation. More was also ordered to pay a fine of $2,000 and complete 200 hours of community service. He was represented by Don Malone of Vernon.
Tony Kadeem Hall, 29, of Dallas, pleaded guilty to state jail felony possession of marijuana and was placed on mandatory community supervision for a period of two years. On October 22, 2018, a DPS trooper made a traffic stop on a vehicle being driven by Hall. During the course of the stop, Hall admitted to having a small amount of marijuana under his seat. A probable cause search revealed a suitcase with two vacuum sealed bags of marijuana. Hall was ordered to pay a fine of $3,000 and complete 150 hours of community service. He was represented by Sage Seal.
The cases were prosecuted by the District Attorney’s Office while District Judge Dan Mike Bird presided over the hearings and assessed the sentences.