Top 10 Most Popular Court Cases of 2019

SAN ANGELO, TX - 2019 was a major year for the Tom Green County courts. From the culmination of several murder trials to arson to alleged conflict of interests, the judicial system in San Angelo faced a multitude the cases.

The following stories were the top 10 stories based on the number of times the stories were viewed.

1. Gang Signs Flashed in Courtroom as Jury Finds Gang Banger Guilty of Murdering Former Stripper

Andres Rios Ramirez was found guilty of murdering Camille Garcia and placing her body inside a dumpster back in March of 2018. Camille was employed as a stripper in San Angelo and Lubbock and a member of the Southside Sureno gang. The prosecution presented evidence that showed Ramirez admitting he had shot and killed Camille in jail call visits with his mother. After Bobby Banda, a member of the Southside Sureno gang testified that Camille was a member of his gang and that they had not been involved in her murder, he flashed what appeared to be a gang sign to an individual sitting in the courtroom. Ramirez was sentenced to life in prison after the jury deliberated for only 42 minutes.

2. Big Bag Of Crazy Guilty!

Chelsea Jo Strube was found guilty of arson after a Tom Green County jury agreed that the case presented by the prosecution proved beyond a reasonable doubt that she set fire to Shelby Siler’s car in the Deadhorse Bar parking lot. Witnesses that had called in the vehicle fire to SAPD testified they had seen a Ford Mustang exit the alley of the parking lot, the same type of vehicle Strube drove. According to the defense, Strube was a block away from the parking lot and calling police about an intruder at the Texas Theatre. When police searched Strube’s car they found a bag that had the words “Big Bag of Crazy” imprinted on it. The bag contained the items Strube used to set the fire. Strube was sentenced to ten years in prison, but it was suspended for ten years of probation and was ordered to pay a fine of $10,000.

3. Court Considers if Tom Green County DAs "Have Declared War Against the Rule of Law in Texas" on Thursday

In August of this year, John and Patricia Stone presented a motion against District Attorneys Allison Palmer and John Best alleging they had abused their power. The Stone’s allege that Palmer and Best had retaliated against Patricia Stone because she was arguing plea bargaining was unconstitutional in an appeal for a case presented to the Texas 3rd Court of Appeals. Stone refused to sign any documentation that stated she agreed plea bargains were constitutional, as it could jeopardize her appeal case and the fate of her client. Palmer and Best argued that in order to continue working with Stone in good faith their offices needed her to sign the admonishment stating that she believed plea bargains were constitutional as Stone represented future clients in Tom Green County. The visiting judge ruled he could find no legal basis to rule on the motion and Stone alleged she would remove herself from several cases in order to allow the matter to be investigated by the State Bar and prove her point.

4. San Angelo Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Possession of Lewd Images of Young Children

Dave Cardenas was sentenced to ten years in federal prison after he pled guilty to one count of possession of child pornography. Cardenas admitted to authorities that he had actively participated in chat rooms where child porn was traded with other users. He stored the images and videos on Dropbox on his cellphone. After he was originally charged with 25 counts of possession, he was only indicted on one federal charge of child pornography. Cardenas was arrested at Dillard’s Department Store at Sunset Mall. After serving his prison sentence, Cardenas will be on probation for ten years and will not be able to contact persons under the age of 18, possess any sexually oriented materials, possess or have access to a computer or internet-connected device without permission of the court. Cardenas will also have to register as a sex offender for life.

5. Convict Involved in Double Murder Sentenced to Prison

As the last defendant in a double homicide, Justin Gamez was sentenced to 27 years in prison for his role in the murders of Jimmy Andrew Gonzales and Anthony Michael Martinez. According to details that emerged during the trial Gamez was driving one of the vehicles in which the co-defendants drove to the victim’s house. Gamez claimed he remained in the truck when Zuniga and Alvarado went into the house. He said he heard arguing coming from the house. Then, after the shooting, Rick and Ray “got into his truck” and Gamez drove them away. Gamez pleaded guilty to one count of burglary of a habitation with the intent to commit another felony and one count of tampering with evidence.  He was sentenced to 27 years in prison for the first count and 10 years in prison for the tampering charge; his sentences will run concurrently.  

6. Woman Pleads Guilty to Murder in Exchange for Life Sentence

Elisa Victoria Losoya took a plea deal after being charged with capital murder that resulted in the death of William Valdez. Losoya, along with three other co-defendants, broke into Valdez’s house and shot him during an attempted robbery. By taking a plea deal Losoya avoided the death penalty and was sentenced to 40 years in prison. Loyosa had been in custody for over 1,000 days and was credited for that time. She will also be required to pay over $7,000 in restitution.

7. Former San Angelo Teacher Sentenced for Lewd Acts with a Minor

Former Lincoln Middle School teacher Steve Skinner pleaded no contest to the sexual assault of a child and was placed on deferred adjudication probation. Skinner, who was 60 at the time of the hearing, was accused of sexually assaulting a minor a girl on at least two occasions. He faced three counts in relation to the sexual assault case. Skinner took a plea that placed him on deferred adjudication probation and required him to surrender his Texas Education Agency teaching certificate.

8. Why This San Angelo Man was Sentenced to 75 Years in Prison

Leroy Anthony Enriquez was sentenced to 75 years in prison after he assaulted San Angelo Police Officer Eduardo Chavarria. Officer Chavarria asked Enriquez to produce his ID after a citizen complained about his presence on their property. The suspect acted in a suspicious manner and reached for his waistband. The officer then attempted to handcuff Enriquez as he feared his life was in danger. During the struggle, Enriquez attempted to choke the officer and then fled on foot. Enriquez had a history of arrests, committing crimes, fleeing from police, and placing police officers in danger. 

9. Court Motion: Ethically Challenged DA Allison Palmer Should Be Kicked Off Robert Lee Murder Case

Murder suspect Jasmine Moreno and her defense attorney Frank Sellers petitioned the 51st Court to disqualify D.A. Allison Palmer from participating on the prosecution’s team because he would be calling her as a material witness. Back in March of 2018, Moreno’s husband had been accused of assaulting and choking Moreno. Moreno alleges Palmer told her that her husband would hurt her again and that the prosecutor had apologized to her for not prosecuting her husband earlier for previous incidents of assaulting her. Moreno claims she was pressured to forgive her husband and dropped the charges. By June of that same year, Moreno shot and killed her husband. The defense alleged it wouldn’t be ethical for Palmer to prosecute Moreno after she had attempted to help her prosecute her husband and serve as a witness. A visiting judge ruled that D.A Palmer would not be allowed to present the case, in the name of "due process."

10. IHOP Waitress Pleads Guilty in San Angelo Shooting

Jessica Watson, a former IHOP waitress, was sentenced to ten years of deferred adjudication after she was involved in the beating and shooting a man and a woman at the Alamo Village Apartments in 2018. Watson, along with two other co-defendants shot at the victims and assaulted them. One of the other suspects involved was Jedidiah ‘Gator’ Watson, who is married to Watson. Gator fled from authorities but was soon captured and taken into custody. Watson will be on probation for ten years and will have to repay $35,305.08 in restitution to the victims. Watson will not be allowed to visit her husband Gator in jail after Judge Dusek denied her request.