The Justice Journal: Vol. 81 (English)

The Justice Journal: Vol. 81

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

State vs. Nahid Abu Naser

Murder

Lead: Priscilla Pelli

2nd Chair: Andrew James

DA Investigator: Ron Cathcart, Eric Knight

DA Paralegal: Maria Cantrell

Investigating Agency: Richardson Police Department

Around 3:45 pm on October 9, 2024, the defendant was highly intoxicated and had just picked up his 11-year-old daughter from school. He was driving 44 miles per hour in a residential 30 mile per hour zone and drove past a car stopped at a red light, onto the shoulder, literally through the stop sign, into the intersection and t-boned the victim’s vehicle. The entire crash was captured by a Ring camera at a house on the corner of the intersection.

At the time of the crash, the defendant was on bond for a DWI-3rd or more, was wearing a SCRAM (Secure Continuous Remote Alcohol Monitor) bracelet that was in lockout, and was driving a car without an interlock in violation of his bond conditions. The defendant denied drinking; however, his hospital blood showed an alcohol content of 0.216 about one hour and 45 minutes after the crash. He refused to consent to giving a blood specimen. A sample of his blood was taken pursuant to a search warrant around 10 pm and his blood alcohol content from that sample was 0.10.

At trial, the defendant did not stipulate to his jurisdictional priors, so the arresting officer from his first DWI conviction out of George in 2014 was brought in to testify about hat conviction. The jury also heard about his 2015 DWI conviction out of Dallas County.

In punishment, the jury learned about his other 2014 DWI arrest in Georgia that was pled to Reckless Driving, his numerous bond violations, the facts of the DWI 3rd he was on bond for at the time of the fatal crash, a pending Assault Family Violence where his daughter called 911 to report that dad was drunk and beating up mom, and a 2022 Public intoxication and Failure to Identify arrest that involved him located passed out in a the driver’s seat of a running car in a Waffle House parking lot with an open Buzz Ball in the center console.

The jury took 8 minutes to decide his sentence.

GUILTY and sentenced to LIFE in prison + $27 fine in honor of the deceased 27 year old victim.

State vs. Diavian Roberts

Murder

Lead: Jonathan Grant

2nd Chair: Doug Millican

DA Investigator: Joseph Swanson

DA Paralegal: Sherrie Lacy

Investigating Agency: Dallas Police Department & Lancaster Police Department

On November 27, 2022, the defendant was kicked out of a Family Dollar store by the victim, Tenery Walker. Four days later, on December 1, 2022, the defendant returned to the store and asked to speak with Mr. Walker. The defendant told an employee that Mr. Walker had offered him a job. When Mr. Walker exited the store to meet with the defendant, the defendant shot him once in the abdomen with a 9mm handgun, killing him.

During trial, the jury also head evidence that the defendant killed another person two days later.

On December 2, 2022, the defendant was confronted by an employee after stealing merchandise from a QuikTrip in Lancaster. The following day, December 3, 2022, the defendant returned to the QuikTrip carrying a 9mm handgun in his backpack. He removed the handgun and walked toward the store entrance where he encountered Ronnie Wilson. Wilson was not the person that confronted the defendant the day prior. After a non-physical argument, the defendant shot Mr. Wilson three time in the back, killing him.

The defendant as arrested approximately 14 hours after killing Mr. Wilson. Officers with the DeSoto Police Department arrested him about 0.3 miles from the location where Mr. Wilson was killed.

GUILTY and sentenced to 75 years in prison.

State vs. Michael Young

Unlawful Possession of a Firearm by Felon

Possession of a Controlled Substance PG 2>=4G<400G

Lead: Robert Farmer

2nd Chair: Megan Reed

DA Investigator: Sergio Betancourt

Appellate Support: Laura Coats

DA Paralegal: Gabriela Carreon

Investigating Agency: Dallas Police Department

Additional thanks: Emily Kapp, Nadin-Sarah Salkic, Anna Cook

GUILTY and sentenced to 40 years in prison on UP + 10 years in prison for PCS.

State vs. Destin Scott

Fentanyl Murder

Prosecutor: Sarah Beth DeLay

DA Investigator: Bonita Morgan, Eddie Lopez, Tom Naulty

DA Mobile Device & Certified Geolocation Analyst: Greg Gambrell

Investigating Agency: Dallas Police Department

The victim was found dead inside her car outside of a fast food restaurant with no signs of foul play. Detective Jacob White with the Dallas Police Department’s Overdose Unit responded to the scene and recovered two cell phones and a baggie of pills from the vehicle. The autopsy revealed that the victim died from the toxic effects of MDMA and fentanyl. Through a comprehensive digital investigation, the detective analyzed data extracted from the phones, social media communications, and call detail records to identify the defendant as the source of the narcotics and traced the drug transaction directly to the defendant. The investigation revealed that the victim purchased the fentanyl and MDMA from the defendant the day before she was found dead.

GUILTY plea and sentenced to 20 years in prison.

State vs. Devin Paxton

Murder

Lead: Tyler Mayer

2nd Chair: Maxim Ternosky

DA Investigator: Mindy Fancher, Zachary Johnston

DA Paralegal: Pamela Betts

DA Victim Advocate: Sandra Walker

Investigating Agency: Dallas Police Department

The defendant was hanging out at a friend’s apartment when the victim began assaulting the defendant. They fought for 10-15 minutes, spilling out into the hallway where a neighbor’s Ring Doorbell camera showed the defendant, a convicted felon, reaching into her purse and pulling out a gun. She fired five times, including while she pursued the victim into the apartment where the fatal shot hit the victim in the back.

After a short hearing where the defendant wanted to go pro se, she took the stand and claimed the victim was trying to rob her. Despite the defense arguing self-defense, the jury ultimately came back with a guilty verdict on Manslaughter. The defendant elected to go to the judge for punishment, where she was sentenced to 10 years in prison with an affirmative finding of a Deadly Weapon being involved.

GUILTY and sentenced to 10 years in prison + a deadly weapon finding.

State vs. Dominique LeeBolin

Aggravated Robbery x 2

Lead: Zachery Brown

2nd Chair: Heather Ragsdale

DA Investigator: Zachary Johnston, Brian Flannery

DA Paralegal: Madelein Garcia

Investigating Agency: Dallas Police Department

On July 4, 2024, the defendant along with three other co-defendants drove a stolen vehicle to an illegal game room near Lancaster and Kiest in Dallas to rob the business and the people inside. The defendants arrived wearing masks, gloves, and dark clothing. The defendants were all armed and ordered everyone to the ground at gunpoint, taking purses and wallets, while also taking the individual working the game room at gunpoint to open each gambling machine to empty out the money. The defendants also forced people in the parking lot to come into the game room at gunpoint to keep an eye on everyone. A couple of people inside the game room were able to keep their phones and call 911. When police arrived, one suspect fled by jumping a fence to neighboring businesses and pulled a gun on an officer, ultimately ending with that suspect being shot and killed. Two additional co-defendants also jumped the fence. One was caught shortly after and the other was caught after additional investigation. LeeBolin was arrested just outside the main entrance of the game room.

GUILTY and sentenced to 10 years in prison.