This week, Bexar County Grand Juries handed down nearly 360 felony indictments.
Trevon Chaney, Roger Troy Koontz Jr. and Aviar Maleek Smith are charged with capital murder – other felony. Three separate indictments allege that on Sep. 22, 2020, Chaney, Koontz and Smith intentionally caused the death of Miguel Carvajal by shooting Carvajal with a deadly weapon (firearm) and Chaney, Koontz and Smith were in the course of committing or attempting to commit the offense of robbery of Carvajal. These cases are being prosecuted by the Criminal Trial Division in the 290th District Court.
Johntavion Sounders is charged with capital murder – other felony. The indictment alleges that on July 14, 2020, Sounders intentionally caused the death of Jasmine Williams by shooting Williams with a deadly weapon (firearm) and Sounders was in the course of committing or attempting to commit the offense of robbery of Williams. This case is being prosecuted by the Criminal Trial Division in the 379th District Court.
Christian Rodriguez is charged with murder. The indictment alleges that on Sep. 28, 2020, Rodriguez intentionally and knowingly caused the death of Jorge Enrique Rodriguez by cutting and stabbing the complainant with a deadly weapon (knife) that in the manner of its use and intended use was capable of causing death and serious bodily injury. This case is being prosecuted by the Family Violence Division in the 144th District Court.
Rebeca Ann DeLeon is charged with murder. The indictment alleges that on Sep. 27, 2020, DeLeon intentionally and knowingly caused the death of Carlos Sifuentes by striking Sifuentes with a deadly weapon (motor vehicle operated by DeLeon) that in the manner of its use and intended use was capable of causing death and serious bodily injury. The indictment also alleges that DeLeon was committing or attempting to commit the felony offense of driving while intoxicated 3rd or more, and while in the course of or in furtherance of or in immediate flight from the commission or the attempted commission of this offense, DeLeon did then and there commit or attempt to commit an act clearly dangerous to human life, to wit: by driving a motor vehicle outside her lane of travel, and/or by failing to maintain a single lane of travel, and/or by driving a motor vehicle at a speed that was not reasonable and prudent under the circumstances then existing, and/or by failing to maintain proper control over a motor vehicle, and/or by failing to take necessary and proper evasive action, and/or by failing to keep a proper lookout, and/or by failing to apply brakes in a timely manner, thereby causing the death of Sifuentes. This case is being prosecuted by the Family Violence Division in the 399th District Court.
Matthew Isaiah Velasquez is charged with intoxication manslaughter. The indictment alleges that on Feb. 23, 2020, Velasquez operated a motor vehicle in a public place while intoxicated and caused the death of Aldo Flores, by accident or mistake by Velasquez driving the motor vehicle into a wall or barrier, failing to drive the motor vehicle entirely on the roadway, failing to maintain proper control over the motor vehicle or driving on the shoulder of the roadway. This case is being prosecuted by the Criminal Trial Division in the 187th District Court.
Noemi Hinojosa is charged with assault – intentionally/knowingly causing serious bodily injury to a child. The indictment alleges that on June 2, 2020, Hinojosa intentionally and knowingly caused serious bodily injury to Bonnie Segura, a child who was 14 years of age or younger, by causing Segura to ingest a controlled substance. The indictment also alleges Hinojosa had a legal duty to act and failed to do so in that that failing to seek out appropriate medical care. This case is being prosecuted by the Family Violence Division in the 186th District Court.
Robert John Gaitan is charged with injury to a child causing bodily injury – intentionally/knowingly. The indictment alleges that on Feb. 23, 2020, Gaitan intentionally and knowingly caused bodily injury to Angel Gonzalez, a child who was 14 years of age or younger, by striking Gonzalez with the hand of the Defendant. This case is being prosecuted by the Public Integrity and Cyber Crimes Division in the 290th District Court.
Michael Davis Hernandez is charged with online solicitation of a minor. The four of the five counts in the indictment allege that in April and May of 2020, Hernandez, a person who was 17 years of age or older, with the intent to commit the offense of indecency with a child, intentionally communicated by separate text messages in a sexually explicit manner with a law enforcement detective who was posing as a person whom Hernandez believed was a minor, a person younger than 17 years of age. The fifth count of the indictment alleges Hernandez, with the intent to commit the offense of sexual assault intentionally distributed over the internet or by an electronic message service sexually explicit material to a law enforcement detective who was posing as a person whom Hernandez believed was younger than 17 years of age. This case is being prosecuted by the Public Integrity and Cyber Crimes Division in the 437th District Court.
Because these cases are pending trial, we can make no further comment on them.
“The service of the Grand Jurors from the 187th District Court and the 437th District Court ended this week, reviewing 1,579 cases during a term abbreviated by holidays and during the COVID-19 pandemic with social distancing measures in place. Throughout the year, Grand Jurors – who are all citizens summoned to serve two days per week for eight week terms – provide a vital service to Bexar County. These citizens review alleged crimes committed here in Bexar County and they make the decision to True Bill and send a case to court for trial or to issue a No Bill of indictment where the Grand Jury does not believe a crime was committed. I thank these Grand Jurors and all of the previous panels for their vital role in our criminal justice system,” said Bexar County District Attorney Joe Gonzales.
In 2020, Bexar County Grand Jurors handed down 11,907 felony indictments.
Copies of indictments may be obtained from the Bexar County District Clerk's Office. Information on court settings may be obtained by searching online here.