Sentences of 40, 20 years among seven handed down in district court

May 19, 2026 at 2:34 pm Derrick Stuckly

The office of District Attorney Micheal Murray issued the following press release regarding felony cases heard in 35^th District Court by Judge Mike Smith.

Jose Luis Martinez, Jr. aka Jose Martinez, pled guilty to the felony offenses of Assault Family Violence- Occlusion and Assault Family Violence-Enhanced and was sentenced to 40 years, Texas Department of Criminal Justice, Institutional Division pursuant to a plea agreement.
Joseph Russell Housand, pled guilty to the felony offense of Possession of a Controlled Substance and was sentenced to 20 years, Texas Department of Criminal Justice, Institutional Division. Further, Housand, on probation for the state jail felony offense of Theft-Enhanced was revoked and sentenced to 2 years, Texas Department of Criminal Justice, State Jail Division.
Steven Lee Benson, pled guilty to the felony offense of Assault Family Violence-Enhanced and was sentenced to 10 years, Texas Department of Criminal Justice, Institutional Division. Further, Benson, on probation for the felony offense of Assault Family Violence-Occlusion was revoked and sentenced to 10 years, Texas Department of Criminal Justice, Institutional Division pursuant to a plea agreement.
Cory Lance Stephens, pled guilty to the felony offense of Driving While Intoxicated 3rd or More and was sentenced to 7 years, Texas Department of Criminal Justice, Institutional Division pursuant to a plea agreement.
Ashley Nicole Ellis, on probation for the state jail felony offense of Unauthorized Use of a Vehicle was adjudicated and sentenced to 2 years, Texas Department of Criminal Justice, State Jail Division pursuant to a plea agreement.
Lorenzo Daniel Ojeda, on probation for the state jail felony offense of Possession of a Controlled Substance was adjudicated and sentenced to 20 months, Texas Department of Criminal Justice, State Jail Division pursuant to a plea agreement.
Shanese L. Kirven, on probation for the state jail felony offense of Possession of a Controlled Substance was revoked and sentenced to 12 months, Texas Department of Criminal Justice, State Jail Division pursuant to a plea agreement.