Pre-Trials: Man Charged With Sexual Assault of a Child Breaks Probation

SAN ANGELO, TX- Various pre-trial hearings for second degree felonies, including sexual assault of a child and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, took place yesterday afternoon with the Honorable Judge Tom Gossett presiding.

Daniel Armenta, 30, was charged by a Texas Grand Jury with one count of sexual assault of a child and for indecency with a child, both second degree felonies. Armenta was previously dismissed of an aggravated kidnapping charge, as well as a previous sexual assault charge. According to jail records, both charges had been issued by Irion County. 

On March 11, 2015 Armenta was charged with having intercourse with a minor. Armenta was later charged with an Indecency with a Minor charge for engaging with the same minor from the March 11, 2015 incident, by “touching the minor's genitals”, read court documents.

Armenta entered a plea of guilty on Feb. 9, 2016 and was issued 8 years of probation and a $1,000 fine.

Sometime thereafter, the court admitted a motion to revoke the deferred adjudication after Armenta violated various conditions in his probation, including the use of alcohol and methamphetamine, breaking curfew, and failure to restrain from possessing pornography, the court documents read.   

The Honorable Judge Ben Woodward signed an order for the arrest of Armenta on March 20, 2017. Since then, there have been proceedings to revoke the probation and prepare for another plea hearing. Armenta posted a $50,000 bond after his second arrest.

Armenta was in court yesterday afternoon for his first  pre-trial hearing, but Armenta took a plea and Judge Gossett moved to set the plea date for later this year.  

John Manuel Garcia, 33, was also present yesterday afternoon to address his charge of threatening his girlfriend with a deadly weapon with intent to cause bodily injury on July 30, 2013.

Garcia entered a plea of guilty for the charge back in July 2, 2014. Judge Woodward issued Garcia deferred adjudication after he pleaded guilty. Garcia was then placed on probation with community supervision for 5 years and was fined $500.

Garcia’s motion to revoke was dismissed on March 16, 2016 and he was placed on continued probation. Judge Gossett ordered amended disposition for Garcia's case after the motion to revoke.

Garcia’s next pre-trial is scheduled for May 10, due to a need for approval of the amended conditions, according to court documents.

Randy Martin, 20, also appeared in court Tuesday afternoon, after he was charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, a second degree felony. This charge was issued after Martin attempted to run over Jude Tamplain with a pickup truck on August 27, 2014. His bound was set at $20,000.

The pre-trial hearing scheduled during yesterday's court was canceled because an attorney was not present to represent Martin. His plea hearing is now scheduled for July 18 at 9:30 a.m. with the 51st District Court, Honorable Judge Barbra Walther presiding.