State vs. Alejandro Mascorro
Continuous Sexual Abuse of a Child Under 14
Lead: Ward Weber
2nd Chair: Juan Sandoval
DA Investigator: Tangela Batie
DA Victim Advocate: Audri Graham
Investigating Agency: Farmers Branch Police Department
The defendant was found guilty of continuous sexual abuse of a young child.
GUILTY and sentenced to 65 years in prison.
State vs. Zachary Anderson
Murder
Lead: Robin Ogbonna
2nd Chair: Dalerie Moore
DA Investigator: Victor Vasquez
DA Paralegal: Sacoria Gates
Investigating Agency: Dallas Police Department
The defendant and victim were roommates who were being evicted from the home they were renting. On the evening of September 4, 2024, the defendant set two mattresses on fire in adjoining rooms, shot the victim approximately 17 times with a .22 caliber Marlin rifle, and left her in the burning house to die. The defendant then walked down the street to a nearby parking lot where he outcried to an off-duty officer that he had just shot his roommate. Later that night, the defendant told police that he had been acting in self-defense when he murdered her. Thanks to a thorough investigation from Detective Kenneth Castoral and the Dallas Police Department, a Dallas County jury determined that the defendant was not acting in self-defense when he shot the victim and found him guilty of murder.
GUILTY and sentenced to 40 years in prison.
State vs. Daisy Zuniga
Manufacture/Delivery of a Controlled Substance causing Serious Bodily Injury
Manufacture/Delivery of a Controlled Substance causing Death
Possession of a Controlled Substance PG 1<1G (revocation)
Possession of a Controlled Substance PG 1<1G<4G (revocation)
Prosecutor: Jui Kothare
DA Investigator: Thomas Naulty
Investigating Agency: Dallas County Sheriff’s Office
The defendant was on probation for two drug cases when she was arrested for possession of controlled substances again. Before the officers could arrest her, she hid drugs in her body. Despite going through screening and strip searches at the Dallas County jail, she managed to bring these drugs into custody with her. Other inmates testified that she was high when she arrived and continued to be high in custody.
On the evening of July 13, 2025, Dallas County Sheriff’s deputies responded to multiple inmates down. Four inmates, including the defendant, experienced overdoses. One was found deceased. Another inmate was hospitalized for a few days. That inmate testified that the defendant was offering the drugs in return for commissary. The victim inmate believed the drugs she took were Xanax bars, however, the hospital confirmed she had experienced a fentanyl overdose. The defendant confessed in an interview to the detective but only after the detective slowly presented her with the statements made by other inmates. She continued to minimize her actions and insisted that she only shared Xanax bars because she felt intimidated by the other inmates. She refused to admit that she intentionally gave anyone fentanyl. In addition, Judge Chika Anyiam heard jail calls made by the defendant in which she laughed about the cases with friends and indicated that she would pretend to ask for drug treatment and mental health help in order to get probation. The Judge did not believe the defendant honestly wanted treatment and sentenced her to a total of 18 years in prison.
GUILTY and sentenced to 18 years in prison.
State vs. Elrick Wade
Indecent Exposure with 2 or more previous Convictions
Lead: Sarah Hayes
2nd Chair: Shanna Gosey
Appellate Support: Jessie Allen
DA Investigator: Aleciah Taylor
DA Paralegal: Mildred Gibbs
Investigating Agency: Dallas Police Department
The defendant exposed himself in a self-serve car wash to a young woman with a baby. The defendant claimed to just be urinating, but the jury did not buy his argument.
GUILTY and sentenced to 12 years in prison.
State vs. Daniel Bryant
Unauthorized Use of a Motor Vehicle
Lead: Miranda Kirby
2nd Chair: William Davidson
DA Investigator: Eddie Lopez
DA Paralegal: LaTonya Peoples
Investigating Agency: Mesquite Police Department
The defendant worked at Shottenkirk Dealership in Granbury, Texas. While wearing his employee shirt, the defendant was pulled over by Mesquite Police for driving a 2022 Camaro with a dealer plate and no valid license plate. The defendant told officers that he was a top car salesman at Shottenkirk Hyundai Dealership and was allowed to drive vehicles home from their lot. However, the 2022 Camaro was not owned by Shottenkirk Hyundai. The Camaro was owned by Hall Chevrolet in Canton, Texas, and had been stolen from Hall Chevrolet earlier that day. Hall Chevrolet maintained possession of both sets of original keys and the defendant was in possession of a blank key fob at the time of his arrest. The detective contacted the general manager of Shottenkirk Hyundai, and he confirmed that the defendant did not have permission to operate another dealership’s vehicle and there was no business relationship between the two dealerships. The detective also contacted the GM of Hall Chevrolet who confirmed the events, that he possesses both sets of original keys for the vehicle, and stated the dealership did not have cameras so there was no proof that the defendant had been the one to steal the vehicle from their lot.
Both GMs testified at trial and the defendant was convicted by a jury. The defendant elected that the judge assess punishment. After the jury found the defendant guilty, the State and defense agreed on punishment and the defendant was sentenced to straight probation for 18 months with 180 days in the state jail.
GUILTY and sentenced to 18 months straight probation + 180 days state jail.
