4 years ago

Memphis – On Wednesday, Sept. 23, a Childress woman was sentenced 18 months in prison and two men were placed on probation in the 100th Judicial District Court in Hall 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 Stuart Messer presiding.

- Angela Lee McClendon, 44, was sentenced to 18 months in state jail for fraudulent use or possession of identifying information. The offense, a state jail felony, took place on June 16, 2019.

Following her arrest for the crime, McClendon was initially placed on probation for three years on Oct. 25, 2019. On Aug. 3, the State filed documents alleging McClendon had violated four conditions of her terms of probation.

At the hearing on Wednesday, McClendon denied to the Court that she had violated her probation terms. The State then called McClendon's probation officer, Meghan Gribble, to the witness stand, where she testified to the facts and circumstances surrounding McClendon’s violations. At the conclusion of the hearing, Messer determined that McClendon violated the probation conditions and sentenced her to the 18 month prison term.

- Rino Rey Acosta, 26, from Memphis, was placed on four years probation in two separate cases for first degree felony offenses of burglary of a habitation. Acosta was arrested by Childress Police Officer James Palmitier for the two crimes on March 6, 2020.

Acosta was also ordered to pay a $4,000 fine to Childress County, $680 in total court costs and complete 400 hours of community service. If his probations are revoked, Acosta faces up to 99 years or life in prison in each case. Notably, while the probation terms will run at the same time, Messer could order any prison sentences to be served consecutively if Acosta is found to have violated the terms of probation anytime during the next four years.

- Luis Junior Villanueva, 26, from Memphis, was placed on three years probation for the third degree felony offense of injury to a disabled individual. Villanueva was arrested by former Hall County Deputy Steve Bartley on June 1, 2020.

Villanueva was also ordered to pay a $500 fine to Hall County, $312 in court costs and complete 200 hours of community service. If his probation is revoked, Villanueva faces up to 10 in prison.