A Houston man who fatally shot his mother and then dismembered her body in an effort to escape detection in 2021 was sent to prison for 40 years after family members gave victim impact statements Monday, Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg announced.

“Domestic violence takes many forms, and it is an absolute tragedy that an argument led to the fatal shooting of the beloved member of a large extended family,” Ogg said. “We were able to get justice for this woman and her family.”

Robert A. Barnes, 37, pleaded guilty to murder earlier this month in exchange for 40 years in prison. He must serve at least half of the sentence before he is eligible for parole, and he cannot appeal the conviction or the sentence. After the plea, victim impact statements were scheduled and took place on June 20.

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A San Francisco man who came to Houston regularly was sentenced to 50 years in prison Friday for shooting a friend in 2018 to steal his jewelry and belongings, Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg announced.

Charles Breed III, 30, gunned down 26-year-old Terrance Leigh Finner III on Jan. 11, 2018. Finner, who ran after-hours clubs and was training as a boxer, was the nephew of Troy Finner, Chief of the Houston Police Department.

“This case shows that gun violence can affect anybody’s family, including the chief of police, and our hearts go out to the victim’s friends and family. He was just out socializing with friends and ended up dead in a robbery-murder,” Ogg said. “This defendant made the decision to use a gun to take what didn’t belong him and killed a man who considered him a friend.”

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A youth sports coach on Houston’s Northside was sentenced to 35 years in prison on two charges and 20 years in prison on another charge this week for sexually assaulting young girls on his team, Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg announced.

“This man is a predator who sought out a position of trust so that he could take advantage of young girls,” Ogg said. “Ten victims from different time frames came forward to tell their stories, and this agreement not only ensures that he will spend decades in prison and cannot appeal, but these victims will be spared from testifying about his abuse.”

Juan Jose Cruz, a 56-year-old who went by “John,” was sent to prison Thursday after several of the young women who came forward were able to give victim impact statements.

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A 75-year-old child molester has been sentenced to 20 years in prison for sexually assaulting a 5-year-old in 2011, Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg announced.

“Child molesters are predators and it is important to seek justice in these cases to hold them accountable for their actions,” Ogg said. “This young girl’s family thought they could trust this man, but he betrayed them in the most horrific of ways.”

James Joseph King, 75, was convicted of aggravated sexual assault of a child and sentenced by a judge after a 3-day trial last week. The victim was able to give a victim impact statement on Friday after the sentencing.

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A 48-year-old Houston man was sentenced to 35 years in prison Thursday for repeatedly stalking and harassing a woman with whom he had a prior relationship, Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg announced.

“Stalking is yet another form of domestic violence, and we will do everything possible to keep victims safe when they are facing this sort of danger,” Ogg said. “We sought justice in this case, and hopefully the victim can move forward with her life now.”

Derek W. Brown was convicted after a two-day bench trial in March of stalking a woman he had a relationship with in the past.

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A 35-year-old Houston man who held a woman captive in a house while beating and torturing her until she gave him money and signed over the title to her Mercedes-Benz has been sentenced to 40 years in prison, Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg announced.

“Domestic violence can take many different forms, which is why we take these cases so seriously,” Ogg said. “This man preys on women and when they don’t do what he wants, the violence escalates. We are glad this woman survived her ordeal and got justice.”

Andrew R. Castillo, 35, was convicted by a Harris County jury and sentenced to 40 years in prison earlier this month after six days of trial for brutally beating and burning a 42-year-old woman he had been in a relationship with before the attack.

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A Houston man was sentenced to 50 years in prison last week for killing a former high school classmate during a gathering of old friends at the Atascocita High School football field in 2020, Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg announced.

“Far too often we see disagreements, arguments and fights escalate into murders because someone wants to start shooting,” Ogg said. “This young man had a promising future — he had just signed with a university to go play football — and his life was ended in an instant because of a gun. We work hard every day not just to get justice for the families, but to try to end gun violence.”

A jury sentenced Jaqwaun Glenn Pradia, 22, to 50 years on Thursday after convicting him of murder during a weeklong trial for the fatal shooting of Eric Demetris Willis about 10:45 a.m. March 15, 2020.

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A 41-year-old habitual offender who lured a 16-year-old to a motel using social media and then held her at gunpoint, beat and sexually assaulted her in 2021 agreed to two 25-year prison sentences this week, Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg announced.

“These kinds of predators are always looking for ways to hurt and take advantage of people,” Ogg said. “By making a plea agreement in this case, we can put him in prison for decades and spare the victim from having to testify about her ordeal.”

David St. John pleaded guilty Tuesday to sexual assault of a child between the age of 14 and 17 in exchange for the 25-year sentence. He also pleaded guilty to a charge of felon in possession of a weapon in exchange for a 25-year sentence, which will run concurrently.

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A habitual offender who fatally shot a man during a late-night argument in front of an Acres Homes convenience store in 2020 was sentenced to 80 years in prison this week, Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg announced.

“Our urban areas are plagued by violence, especially gun violence, and that is why we work so hard to get justice in cases like this,” Ogg said. “This family had to bury a loved one because this defendant started an argument and then decided to start shooting.”

Demondrian Denshae McWright, 33, was sentenced by a judge late Monday after a Harris County jury convicted him of murder following a six-day trial.

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