SAN ANGELO, TX -- A San Angelo man jailed for sexual assault and aggravated kidnapping in March of 2017 was released from custody Friday after the charges against him were dropped at the request of the victim.
According to information from the 391st District Attorney’s office, 36-year-old Alegandro Herman Fevala was indicted by a grand jury on one first degree felony charge of aggravated kidnapping with bodily injury/sexual abuse and two third degree felony charges of sexual assault.
Fevala was 35-years-old at the time and the victim was 17 according to court documents. As we reported at the time, when Fevala was arrested investigators were able to identify a male suspect who allegedly made contact with the victim after creating a fake social media account using the identity of one of the victim’s friends. While posing as the victim's "friend," the suspect made plans to pick up the victim in his vehicle, a black Dodge Charger.
When the victim approached the vehicle and opened the door, the suspect pulled her inside and drove to a secondary location. There, the suspect allegedly physically and sexually assaulted the victim. Several hours after the abduction, the victim was able to escape and ran for help.
Investigators further found that the alleged assault had occurred at an unoccupied residence at the 1300 block of North Jefferson Street. The suspect was also identified as Alejandro Herman Fevala (AKA Alejandro or Alex), 35, of San Angelo, after Police observed his vehicle pulling into the unoccupied residence of North Jefferson.
On Friday, San Angelo Live! obtained copies of Facebook messages between the victim and Fevala which show they were in an ongoing relationship. The victim is referred to as ‘Michelle’ which is a pseudonym in court documents. The 26 pages of Facebook messenger communications show a volatile relationship between the teenager and Fevala. Both Fevala and ‘Michelle’ called each other and didn’t answer calls frequently. There were detailed arguments about their relationship and their on-again off-again plans to start a family. The final Facebook messages were five missed calls from 'Michelle' to Fevala and two missed calls from Fevala to 'Michelle' on March 17, 2017. The alleged assault was reported and Fevala was arrested on March 19, 2017.
The Facebook messenger communications took place in March 2017 prior to the alleged kidnapping and assault.
The victim requested the District Attorney’s office dismiss the charges against Fevala. The District Attorney’s office filed a motion to dismiss the charges with the District Clerk’s office at 1:09 p.m. Friday.
According to court documents, District Judge Brad Goodwin approved the D.A.’s motion to dismiss the charges and Fevala was released from the Tom Green County jail at 5:28 p.m. Friday. Fevala’s jury trial was set for Sept. 17 but has been cancelled.
In a unique twist to this case, Fevala was released from custody in July 2017 because he had been in custody for over 90 days, from March 19, 2017 to July 7, 2017 without being indicted, which state law mandates the court give a PR bond under Texas State Statue Section 17.121. His defense attorney Stephanie Goodman requested a hearing over Fevala's Application for Habeas Corpus and a motion for Bond shortly after the 90th day Fevala was being held unindicted in a county-contracted overflow space at a jail in Colorado City. Fevala's indictment was posted July 7.
Judge Goodwin, however, is allowed to set conditions of probation. A clearly agitated Goodwin told Fevala, “The court has no choice. I don’t have to like it but I can set conditions.”
With that, Goodwin set a “$500,000 PR bond” including home confinement and electronic monitoring with GPS. Fevala will be released to his mother’s address and is not allowed within 1,000 feet of the alleged victim or her family, nor is he allowed to communicate directly or indirectly with her or her family.
Fevala was re-arrested at a hearing in the Tom Green County Courthouse in June of 2018 because he violated his probation. Testimony showed Fevala had frequent contact with his girlfriend’s children in violation of the terms of his probation. Fevala was in court requesting the GPS monitoring stipulation be dropped because he was struggling to pay the $330 per month for the monitor.
Judge Goodwin revoked Fevala’s PR bond and ordered him to be remanded to the custody of the Tom Green County Sheriff’s Office. Fevala was searched and cuffed and transported across the street to the Tom Green County Jail. Goodman requested the judge set a ‘reasonable’ bond for Fevala, but Judge Goodwin said he would set the bond at the original amount of $500,000.
Fevala remained in jail from June 12 until Friday.
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