John Young's Appeal Addressed in San Angelo Courtroom Today

SAN ANGELO, TX -- John Stacy Young is in prison awaiting the appeal of his guilty verdicts for forgery, theft, and money laundering.  His first court appointed attorney for the appeal, John Sutton, petitioned the court to withdraw from the case because of a conflict of interest on Wednesday.  

The courtroom felt very familiar.  Visiting District Judge Brock Jones was presiding, the same court reporter was there, prosecuting attorney Shane Attaway with the Texas Attorney General’s Office was there representing the state and even Texas Ranger Nick Hanna was in the courtroom.  All of them were present during Young’s four-week trial in October and November 2017 where a Tom Green County jury found Young guilty and sentenced him to 11 years in prison.

John Young, who is serving his sentence in prison at the Texas Department of Criminal Justice's Michael Unit near Palestine, waived his right to appear, and was represented by his attorney instead.

It was a very short hearing.  Judge Jones approved Sutton’s motion to withdraw without comment.  Jones then appointed Aaron Clements as Young’s appellant attorney. Clements works for the Hurley Guinn Law Firm out of Lubbock.  Dan Hurley was Young’s lead attorney in his initial trial.

Testimony in that trial showed that Sutton and Young had been friends for decades.  

John Young was John Sullivan’s attorney in 2014.  Sullivan had been arrested and charged with online solicitation of a minor and his bond was set at $2 million.  Young retained Bail Bondsman Ray Zapata to bail Sullivan out of jail.

According to testimony, Zapata was ‘baby setting’ Sullivan to make sure he didn’t jump bail, basically checking on him every day.  Young and Zapata couldn’t contact Sullivan by phone on June 2, 2014 so Zapata went to Sullivan’s house to check on him.

Zapata testified he found Sullivan dead.   Zapata called Young and they called the police.  According to testimony, Zapata found a Catholic Missal in Sullivan’s house with a handwritten will in it.  The will, which later was found to be forged, left all of Sullivan’s $8 million estate to John Young. Young hired Sweetwater attorney Chris Hartman to probate the will.  Within ten days, the will was probated and Young took control of the $8 million estate.

Sullivan’s body was cremated within days of his death at the direction of Young.  

San Angelo Attorney Joe Hernandez contacted Texas Ranger Nick Hanna and told him he thought the will was forged.  Hanna began investigating Sullivan’s death.

Eventually Young and Zapata were arrested and charged with forgery, theft, and money laundering.  

Zapata was found guilty and sentenced to six months in prison and is appealing his conviction.  Zapata is out on bond awaiting his appeal.

Young was found guilty and sentenced to 11 years in prison and is also appealing his conviction.  Because he was sentenced to more than 10 years, Young remains in prison awaiting his appeal.