Bishop sentenced to 50 years in prison for organized criminal activity
On Tuesday, Feb. 18, one contested hearing and four pleas took place in the 100th Judicial District Court in Childress County.
Luke Inman, the District Attorney for the 100th Judicial District, along with Assistant District Attorney Harley Caudle, prosecuted the cases for the State of Texas, with the Honorable Judge Dale Rabe presiding.
Lashara Wynette Bishop, 30, from Memphis, Texas, was sentenced to 50 years in prison for the first degree felony offense of engaging in organized criminal activity that occurred in Childress County on June 30, 2023.
Bishop was originally placed on probation for the offense on Oct. 17, 2023.
“This Defendant and four others were all involved in the aggravated assault of a person with a deadly weapon,” said Inman. “A serious offense by itself, but with multiple actors involved, this case was prosecuted as an engaging offense which bumped the minimum punishment range to a first degree felony.”
On Oct. 8, 2024, the State filed its motion requesting the court to revoke Bishop’s probation, alleging three violations of her conditions of probation.
At the hearing, Bishop admitted to violating two conditions of probation. Bishop denied violating the condition where she was required to report to court-order rehab.
The State called only one witness, Meghan Gribble, the 100th Judicial District probation officer who supervised Bishop during her time on probation.
Gribble testified to Bishop’s probation violations, including her failure to report to court-ordered drug rehabilitation which Bishop pleaded not true.
The Court also received evidence that Bishop had been sent to prison two other times.
At the conclusion of the hearing, Rabe revoked Bishop’s probation and imposed the 50-year prison sentence.
Bishop was also ordered to pay a $500 fine, $500 in attorney fees and $340 court costs.
Due to the classification of Bishop’s offense under Texas law, she will be required to serve at least 25 years of her sentence before becoming eligible for parole.
“This Defendant is a scourge to society,” said Caudle. “That is the only way to describe this Defendant and Childress will be a better place for decent people to live now that she is gone from our community.”
Victoria Elayne Bates, 55, from Allen, Texas, was sentenced to four years in the penitentiary for the second degree felony offense of burglary of a habitation that occurred in Childress County on Nov. 7, 2021.
Bates was placed on probation on Oct. 25, 2022. On Dec. 19, 2022, the State filed its motion requesting the Court to revoke Bates’ probation, alleging six violations of her conditions of probation. Bates pleaded true to all of the allegations.
Bates was also ordered to pay a $4,000 fine and $340 in court costs.
Michael William Medlock, 36, from Denton, Texas, was convicted on the class A misdemeanor offense of possession of marijuana and sentenced to three days in the Childress County Jail.
Medlock was arrested by former Childress Police Officer Daniel Tyler on March 7, 2023. Medlock pleaded guilty to an information filed by the State on May 8, 2023.
Medlock was also ordered to pay an upfront fine of $4,000 fine and $340 in court costs.
In a separate case, Medlock was also convicted of the class A misdemeanor offense of unlawful use of a criminal instrument and sentenced to three days in the Childress County Jail for a separate arrest on that same date.
Medlock was also ordered to pay an additional upfront fine of $4,000 fine and $340 in court costs for this case.
Jonathan Hunter Gass, 24, from Childress, Texas, was sentenced to 30 years in prison for the first degree felony offense of engaging in organized criminal activity.
Gass was originally arrested by former Childress Police Officer Manda Young on June 30, 2023.
Gass originally pleaded guilty and was placed on probation on Sept. 21, 2023.
On Dec. 5, 2024, the State filed its motion requesting the Court to revoke Gass’ probation, alleging five violations of his conditions of probation. Gass pleaded true to all of the allegations.
Gass was ordered to pay a $2,000 fine and $340 in court costs.
