The Justice Journal: Vol. 52 (English)

The Justice Journal: Vol. 52

A look at cases recently prosecuted by the Dallas County Criminal District Attorney's Office.

State vs. Terrius Randolph

Capital Murder

Lead: Sarah Hayes

2nd Chair: Tommy Adams Jr.

DA Investigators: Juan Carranza & Raul Obregon

Investigation Agency: Detective Scott Sayers – Dallas Police Department

Special thanks to: Chris Cec, Irene Duong, Tamika Coy, and ADA Jaclyn O’Connor

In August 2019, the victim was visiting Texas from Nigeria and was set to go back in 2 days. The defendant, using a false name, created posts on LetGo advertising phones for sale. The victim had been buying phones to take back to friends and family in Nigeria and offered to buy a phone from the defendant.

The two met in the defendant’s neighborhood and the defendant immediately began robbing the victim at gunpoint. A witness working across the street testified that he heard the gunshots as well as the victim yelling at the defendant, “Get out, get out, don’t shoot don’t shoot.” The defendant shot the victim in the leg, hitting him in the femoral artery and causing him to bleed-out almost immediately. The witness saw the defendant run into his own home after shooting the victim and was able to provide a description to the police as well as pick the defendant out of a lineup several days later. An anonymous tip led the DPD Fugitive Unit to the defendant hiding out in a motel 4 days after the offense.

GUILTY and sentenced to LIFE in prison without the possibility of parole.

State vs. George Berish

Murder

Aggravated Assault Causing Serious Bodily Injury by firing into a Motor Vehicle

Lead: Krystal Biggins

2nd Chair: Loren Collins

Appellate Trial Support: Jaclyn O’Connor

DA Investigators: Jesse Resendez & Raul Obregon

DA Victim Advocate: Claudia Arnick

Investigating Agency: Mesquite Police Department

On the morning of Saturday, February 11, 2023, two friends were riding their motorcycles through Dallas and Mesquite, as they had many times before. They were wearing red and gold jackets associated with their motorcycle club.

About 3 weeks before February 11, 2023, the defendant and his motorcycle club had an armed confrontation at a motorcycle rally in Kansas with a group of Bandido motorcycle club members. The defendant is a member of a rival motorcycle gang called the Brothers East, also known as BEAST. He is based out of Arkansas.  The defendant and his gang wanted to get back at the Bandidos for the argument in Kansas. They learned that there would be a funeral in Dallas over the weekend of February 11 for a member of the Bandidos and believed there would be many members of that gang on the roadways. 

The day before, on February 10th, the defendant traveled from Arkansas to Dallas with a co-defendant and stayed in a hotel. They met up with Dallas chapter members of the BEAST and planned to “hunt red and gold” (looking for Bandido members) the next day. 

The next morning, the victims traveled eastbound on I20.  The defendant and his co-defendants saw their red and gold jackets and believed the victims were Bandidos.  The defendants followed the victims for several miles on I20 until they exited Lawson Road where the defendants fired at them at least 36 times.  The surviving victim was struck multiple times and testified that he still had 4 bullets in his body. The deceased victim was shot through the back, through his lungs, and died on his way to the hospital.  A fired projectile was recovered in the deceased victim’s jacket. 

Witnesses at the scene described a white SUV and a silver SUV that may have been involved. Mesquite Police worked with several other local, State, inter-state, and Federal law enforcement agencies to identify any suspect vehicles.  Eventually, they identified two vehicles following the victims before the offense and leaving the area together after the offense.  Then, police tracked those vehicles to a known motorcycle gang location in Southern Dallas County. Through the work of the Mesquite Police Department, Dallas Police Department, and Federal partners they located and identified the defendant and co-defendants.

The defendant was arrested more than a month after the offense.  A gun was seized that was connected to the defendant and forensically matched the projectile that fell out of the victim’s jacket at the murder scene.

The co-defendant pleaded guilty before trial and testified that he drove as Berish fired out of the passenger window, killing the deceased victim. 

Additionally, cell phone records tracked the defendant and co-defendant as they followed the victims on I20, committed the murder on Lawson Road, and then fled the scene together.

GUILTY and sentenced to LIFE in prison for each charge.

State vs. Jeylen Calhoun

Aggravated Assault Causing Serious Bodily Injury

Lead: Rachel Champion

Pick: Keena Miller

DA Investigator: Scott Sayers

DA Paralegal: Wanda Ford

Investigating Agency: Dallas Police Department

The victim and defendant were involved in a minor traffic accident. They then proceeded to fight with the victim eventually losing that fight. The defendant, however, kept going, hitting the victim multiple times and then stomping on the victim’s face. The defendant then moved his car and came back, grabbed his shoes, and proceeded to hit the victim 2 more times. As a result of the assault, the victim has remained in a persistent vegetative state ever since this occurred. Immediately after the offense, the defendant went on Facebook Live and bragged about what he did for the next several hours.

GUILTY and sentenced to 17 years in prison with a deadly weapon finding.

State vs. Idael Marti

Aggravated Sexual Assault of a Child (Retrial of Punishment)

Lead: Taylor Willis

2nd Chair: Kalle Riner

DA Investigator: Joseph Mundy

DA Victim Advocate: Yvonne Macias

Investigating Agency: Mesquite Police Department

The defendant was found guilty of Aggravated Sexual Assault of a Child by a jury in November, and that jury assessed a punishment of 40 years in prison, but it was not unanimous upon a jury poll. A new jury reheard the punishment evidence and gave him life in prison.

GUILTY and sentenced to LIFE in prison.

State vs. James Robertson

Burglary of a Habitation Intend. Sex Offense x 2

Arson

Criminal Mischief>=$300K

Theft of Property>=$30K<$150K

Lead: Klarissa Diaz

DA Investigator: Abigail Cruz

DA Victim Advocate: Adriana Sellers

Investigating Agency: Dallas Police Department

The defendant went on a week-long crime spree in April 2023.

At 3:00 AM on Saturday, April 16, 2023, a victim woke up in her apartment to a stranger pulling her hands and taking her into the living room. Before the victim could pull away the stranger, Defendant James Robertson, pushed her onto a couch and began to choke her with both of his hands. Despite her trying to push him away, the defendant overpowered the victim and attacked her. As the defendant attempted to take off the victim’s shorts, she pushed the defendant off and run away.

On April 18, 2023, just two days after the previous offense the defendant entered a new victim’s apartment at 5:00 AM. This victim was asleep when she awoke to a stranger covering her mouth with his hand. Defendant James Robertson held an unknown metal object to victim’s throat and threatened to kill her. As she attempted to escape the defendant, he began punching her in the face. The victim continued to resist and eventually got to her feet when the defendant began securing her hands with plastic zip ties. She then broke away from the defendant’s grip and ran to her kitchen where she retrieved two kitchen knives and started to swing them at the defendant as he approached her. The victim made contact with the defendant by stabbing him in the neck which caused the defendant to flee the apartment.

When the victim went to call 911 she realized her cell phone was missing. She walked to the parking structure closest to her apartment to seek help. Once in the structure, she saw the defendant in the driver’s seat of her vehicle. The defendant then stated she could have her cell phone and car back if she brought him a set of keys that he had dropped in her apartment. She retrieved the keys and threw them on the parking garage floor. The defendant ran and the victim took a photo of him with her cell phone as he ran away.

On April 12, 2023, Officer Murdock observed a black Chevy Silverado stopped in the right lane on the north service road of I30. Officer Murdock started to follow the truck and as he was traveling east, he observed black smoke coming from a nearby business and then saw flames coming from the roof of DFW Camper Corral. Around the Camper Corral, officers observed the gate on the southwest corner of the building was damaged. The defendant was identified as the culprit and arrested.

GUILTY plea and sentenced to 50 years on each charge.

State vs. Mario Flores

Continuous Sexual Abuse of a Child Under 14

Lead: Brenna Buchanan

2nd Chair: Blake Penfield

DA Investigator: Barry Maxwell

DA Victim Advocate: Leslie Gutierrez

Investigating Agency: Irving Police Department

Special Thanks to Investigators Tomicka McCloud, Natarsha Price, Laura Brakefield, and Joe Mundy who went above and beyond.

The defendant was convicted of continuously sexually abusing a child under the age of 14.

GUILTY and sentenced to LIFE in prison day for day.

State vs. Johnathan Brown

Manufacture or Delivery of a Controlled Substance PG1>=4G<200G

Lead: Michael Chang

2nd Chair: Clint Stiffler

DA Investigator: Bonita Morgan

Investigating Agency: DeSoto Police Department

DeSoto Police surveilled the defendant and witnessed many hand-to-hand transactions outside his apartment. They executed a search warrant and discovered large amounts of cocaine, heroin, alprazolam, fentanyl, psilocybin mushrooms, marijuana, and two pistols. The defendant had previously been to prison three times.

GUILTY and sentenced to 25 years in prison.

State vs. Volney Woods

Murder

Lead: Emily Antram

2nd Chair: Megan Bisacca

DA Investigators: Claudia Mena-Marroquin & Jesse Cantu

DA Victim Advocate: Melinda Shelton

Investigating Agency: Dallas Police Department

Special thanks to Inv. Scott Sayers, Inv. Garrick Whaley, ADA Adam Seiffert, and ADA Bailey Baker

The defendant lived next door to a vacant lot he erroneously believed to be his. From 2002 to 2021 several different families purchased the lot with hopes of building a home, but the defendant would threaten each of them to the point of selling. The 2021 lot owner hired the victim to lay concrete on the property. The defendant went over to the property while the victim was working with three other individuals and shot the victim 4 times in the back. The defendant was wearing a black ski mask and could only be described by his hair and size. The defendant used a revolver so there were no casings found at the scene. Additionally, the revolver was dropped in a puddle and had severe rust damage when eventually found, so the firearms testing was inconclusive. The only physical evidence tying the gun to the defendant was the box of 38 ammunition found in his home.

When the defendant was waiting to be interviewed at DPD headquarters, he mumbled several things under his breath regarding the prior land disputes, the gun being a 38, and the lack of casings at the scene. These statements were mumbled very quietly throughout the 6-hour long video and would have been easy to miss. After watching the defendant’s interview video numerous times, the jury found the defendant guilty.

GUILTY and sentenced to 30 years in prison.

State vs. Jose Malueno Machado

Sexual Assault of a Child

Lead: Joel Abraham

2nd Chair: Kathryn Suggs

DA Investigators: Howard Sparks & Barry Maxwell

DA Victim Advocates: Franchesca Zarate & Yvonne Macias

Investigating Agency: Dallas Police Department

The defendant was convicted of sexually assaulting a child under the age of 14.

GUILTY and sentenced to 20 years in prison.

State vs. Christopher Gulley

Indecency with a Child Sexual Content

Lead: Connor Sheets

DA Investigators: Walter Clifton Jr., Crystal Gregan, Laura Brakefield

DA Victim Advocate: Flor De La Fuente

Investigating Agency: Grand Prairie Police Department

The defendant was convicted of indecency with a child.

GUILTY and sentenced to LIFE in prison.

State vs. Larry Wheeler

Sexual Assault

Lead: Klarissa Diaz

2nd Chair: Haley Pratt

DA Investigators: Jonathan Wakefield & Lee Thompson

DA Victim Advocate: Mackenzie Kile

The victim-survivor to Dallas from California for the first time on June 15, 2011, with some girlfriends to dance at Onyx Gentleman’s Club for the weekend. When the night was over, she returned to her friend’s apartment and fell asleep on the couch. The victim woke up to an unknown man sexually assaulting her. The victim shoved the defendant off and ran into her friend’s bedroom to ask for help and report the crime. After receiving no help from her friends, she called 911 and was taken to the hospital for a sexual assault examination. 

The victim’s sexual assault kit was placed on a shelf following no investigation and left untested until January 2015. As a part of the Sexual Assault Kit Initiative (SAKI), the victim’s kit was tested and a match to the defendant’s DNA was made in April 2015. After 13 years of not knowing who assaulted her, the victim-survivor bravely faced her assailant in court, and he was found guilty of sexual assault.

The defendant was also charged with aggravated sexual assault against his ex-girlfriend. Upon meeting each other, these two victim-survivors immediately bonded, shed many tears, and were a great source of support for one another. After he was found guilty in the trial, the defendant pleaded guilty to the additional case of aggravated sexual assault.

GUILTY and sentenced to 25 years in prison and 10 years in prison.

State vs. Martin Maldonado

Aggravated Sexual Assault of a Child

Lead: Janie Martinez

2nd Chair: Deborah Bankhead

DA Investigator: Tom McGrath

DA Victim Advocate: Flor De La Fuente

Investigating Agency: Dallas Police Department

The defendant was convicted of aggravated sexual assault of a child under the age of 14.

GUILTY and sentenced to 15 years in prison.