San Angelo Man Slammed with 60 Years in Prison

After two days of witness testimony and jury deliberation in the case against 32-year-old Eric Severo Escobedo, the jury found the defendant guilty for the intent to manufacture or deliver more than 400 grams of methamphetamine. The jury came to a unanimous decision and sentenced Escobedo to 60 years to a penitentiary and a $100,000 fine.

The trial, which began yesterday, continued this morning at 9:00 a.m. State District Attorney Allison Palmer started by calling her witnesses to the stand. Evidence was presented in the forms of photographs to show the physical amount of meth that was found in the residence.

Photographs of meth, PVC pipes, a handgun, a Ballistic vest (bullet proof vest), baggies, and the home were presented to the jury by the State.

At 2:15 p.m. Palmer and Defense Attorney Jimmy Stewart gave their closing arguments to the jury. Stewart began by asking the jury, “Was Eric Escobedo in care, control and custody of any meth located in the house?”

The point that Stewart was attempting to make the jury see was that “there is no connection between Eric and the items other than just his presence.”

Stewart and Palmer did argue that this charge was due to word technicality. Palmer, during her closing statement said, “This was no small operation. This was not a one-man operation.” 

To press her point that Escobedo was knowingly in a residence full of meth, she stated, “It became Eric’s responsibility, and he accepted that responsibility by staying there [in the residence]."

Throughout the trial, Escobedo, like yesterday, continued to dose off. At one point, he was snoring as witnesses shared their testimony. Escobedo has diabetes, so there were also times court proceedings had to pause for him to eat crackers or drink something.

After closing statements, the jury came back with their verdict of guilty within the hour. Once the jury came to a unanimous verdict of guilty, they had to choose Escobedo’s punishment.

The punishment portion of the trial brought on more witnesses from the state and the defense. The state called five witnesses to testify against Escobedo. Elizabeth Torres was one of those witnesses.

Torres testified against Escobedo and relived his assault against her. Escobedo also faced an Aggravated Assault w/Deadly Weapon charge. The assault took place August 28, 2015.

“He hit me in the face with the butt of a gun,” Torres said. While the two were driving around San Angelo, Torres said Escobedo began hitting her in the face with a gun.

“We fought over the gun, and I was able to get it from him,” she said.

While Torres was still on the stand, Palmer displayed photographs taken of Torres after the assault. The jury was able to see that Torres had a gash on the bridge of her nose, a black eye, bruises over her body and blood all over the top of her purse.

Stewart called two witnesses to testify for Escobedo. The defense called his half-brother Pete Guzman and best friend Rosemary Ramirez. Guzman explained, “Eric is very protective when it comes to my mom and little brother.” He also explained that Escobedo had currently lived with him and his family.

Ramirez claimed, “Eric has never been violent or belligerent around me or my family.”

After answering Stewart's questions, Palmer cross examined Ramirez. As Palmer conducted her examination, she asked Ramirez what she had said previously to a criminal investigator who was called in as a witness for the case outside of the courtroom.

“I told [the investigator] that he should investigate your husband for the drugs I have seen him with,” Ramirez told Palmer.

After Ramirez's statement, Palmer said, "No further questions Your Honor."

Ramirez was the last witness for the trial. After witness testimony, closing arguments came again. During final closing arguments for Escobedo's punishment, the jury was reminded that Escobedo could only face a maximum of 99 years incarcerated, with a minimum of 15 years.

After a little over an hour of deliberation, and after 9 p.m., the jury came back with a sentence of 60 years in a penitentiary and the $100,000 fine.

For more details on the two-day trial, click here.