Man Pleads Guilty to Aggravated Assault with a Deadly Weapon, Gets Probation

During a contested hearing today at the Tom Green County Court, George DeLaCruz pled guilty to Aggravated Assault with a Deadly Weapon. DeLaCruz, who pulled a knife on two Wal-Mart employees on Oct. 24, 2015, left punishment in the hands of Judge Ben Woodward.

Assistant District Attorney Jason Ferguson, with the 119^th Judicial District, said that punishment came to 5 years deferred adjudication probation. Originally, DeLaCruz faced 2 to 20 years TDCJ-ID, and up to a $10,000 fine.

“This case was a little unique in that DeLaCruz is 40 years old and this is his first arrest,” Ferguson said. “That’s a little bit of a unique situation, but the nature of the offense—pulling a knife and threatening two complete strangers just doing their job—is one of those things I wasn’t comfortable with probation on.”

Based on the complaint, on Oct. 24, San Angelo Police Officer Keith Lane was dispatched to Wal-Mart, 610 W. 29^th St., where DeLaCruz and a female were observed by Wal-Mart Asset Protection employees placing over $300 worth of merchandize in a basket, which they concealed in a plastic storage tub. The duo then exited the store without paying, so two Wal-Mart employees confronted them. DeLaCruz and the woman abandoned the basket and went to their vehicle. When one of the employees attempted to stop them, DeLaCruz pulled a knife and moved towards the employee, threatening him. After the employee backed away, DeLaCruz and the female left the scene in a black Honda Accord. One of the employees told Officer Lane he feared for his life.

Although the two shoplifters got away, the employees were able to get the license plate number of the vehicle, and Lane learned the vehicle was registered to an owner who knew DeLaCruz.

Because on the diligence of SAPD that night, Ferguson said this case had a fast resolution, and he wanted to commend the officers on that.

“They got a hold of him and processed him quickly, and that’s really why he pled guilty,” he said. “They had just a really great case. They identified him on surveillance, tracked him to his house, arrested him, found the knife, got a confession; they did a really good job.”

During the hearing, DeLaCruz testified that he had never been in trouble with law enforcement before, and he asked Judge Woodward for a chance at probation. Additionally, during closing arguments, DeLaCruz’s lawyer, Gonzalo Rios, rallied for his client's chance at probation. Ferguson said he argued against it because of the severity of the offense.

 “That’s a violent thing, and when you’re on the other end of that knife, you’re definitely not thinking it’s probation,” he said.Despite that argument, however, Woodward voted in favor of 5 years deferred adjudication probation.