SAN ANGELO, TX – Tuesday morning, the Tom Green County court room seats were full with individuals awaiting their criminal-pre trial. Yesterday, Chelsea Jo Strube, 34, charged with Arson, Marcus McVae 32, charged with engaging in organized criminal activity and Anthony Baca, 28, charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, all appeared in court.
The 340th Judicial District Court Honorable Judge Jay Weatherby presided over yesterday’s court hearings.
McVae was issued a mistrial in April of this year after a hanging juror could not reach a verdict to convict him of aggravated robbery of the David Roger Construction yard in March of 2016. Yesterday, McVae asked to approach the bench during the pre-trial.
“Let’s hear what he has to say,” Judge Weatherby replied motioning for McVae to be escorted to the bench. The conversation couldn't be heard over the noise of the crowded court room, however, McVae was motioning franticly with his handcuffed hands as he spoke. After about three minutes of talking, Judge Weatherby said he would, “let the judge know,” and had McVae escorted back to his seat.
McVae had requested a reduced bond last month, however, it was denied by the court. In the hearing for the reduced bond, McVae’s court-appointed attorney Shawntell McKillop and Assistant DA Jason Ferguson decided a realistic date for his trial would be in July 2017. The jury trial is currently set for June 19.
Baca was charged with using a deadly weapon with intent to harm Paul Garcia, a second-degree felony that was enhanced to a first-degree felony for a prior similar conviction in 2008. Baca is currently free on a $75,000 bond. After Tuesday's hearing, Baca was re-indicted under the same charges and will continue on an existing bond under Honorable Judge Barbara Walther, according to the court clerk’s notes.
Strube is suspect of arson after a vehicle caught fire near the Dead Horse bar on Sept. 2015. Karla Steppe, an investigator with the San Angelo Fire Marshal’s office, filed a complaint against Strube after her investigation of the incident.
According to the complaint, Steppe had “a good reason to believe and does believe [that Strube] started the fire by placing a white fabric into the gas tank [of the 2008 Volkswagen Jetta] along with a green plastic bottle containing a flammable liquid and igniting the liquid with intent to damage and destroy the vehicle.”
Strube was indicted for arson on May 4, 2016 and later released on a $25,000 bound. Strube is preparing for her jury trial scheduled on June 19 at 9 a.m.
In addition to these pre-trials, Miguel Davila, 28, was present for the charge of Continue Sexual Abuse of Child: Under the Age of 14. The complaint reads, the defendant committed the acts between May 27, 2010 and May 22, 2014, and engaged in two or more sexual acts of abuse with a victim younger than 14.
On May 29, 2014, a police report was filed from a witness who said the victim was forced to have intercourse with the defendant. The last act of abuse took place on May 22, 2014 at the victim’s house.
The witness testified that the victim had lived with the defendant at various locations in the past. The victim told investigators during an interview that they had been sexually abused by the defendant from age 11 to 15.
Davila was present for the pre-trial today and has been scheduled for another pre-trial on June 14 at 9 a.m.
Brian William Cascadden, 50, was also present and is being charged with two counts of indecency with a child. On July 15, 2016 the defendant engaged in a sexual act with a child younger than 17, a second degree felony.
In the early morning of July 15, 2016, the victim was sleeping at a friend’s house as a guest.
The victim told detectives they awoke to the defendant showing them a pornographic video. The defendant was “observed masturbating over [them]” and had place there hand on the victims genitalia, the complaint stated. He returned two more times throughout the morning and pulled up the shirt of the victim. He touched the victim inappropriately and would leave whenever she rolled over in the bed.
The defendant admitted to being in the room without the victim's knowledge, however, he stated had not “masturbated” near them, or committed the other acts mentioned.
Cascadden was arrested the day of the offense, but was released on July 16. He was later arrested on Oct. 27, 2016 for two outstanding warrants in the case. Cascadden's bonds totaled $150,000 and this was his fourth arrest in Tom Green County.
He is scheduled for a jury trial on June 19 at 9 a.m.
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