The first of two brothers accused of a days-long crime spree in 2021 that left one man dead and another injured was sentenced Thursday to life in prison, Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg announced.

“Connecting online with strangers to buy and sell things at in-person meetups has become such an integral part of our culture that thieves and criminals are using the process to take advantage of innocent people,” Ogg said. “We have to remember to stay vigilant and try to have safeguards in place, even for transactions that come together quickly or happen late at night.”

Alexander Salvador Ordonez, 22, was sentenced to life in prison by a judge after a five-day trial in which a jury convicted him of murder for killing 19-year-old Cameron B. Stevens at a Cypress Station apartment complex on Feb. 6, 2021.

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A 42-year-old man was sentenced this week to 50 years in prison for killing his wife at a relative’s home in Spring in 2020, Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg announced.

“No child should lose their mother to domestic violence, and that is why we take any case of violence against women so seriously,” Ogg said. “We know that violence escalates, like in this case, where the defendant committed at least two other assaults before killing an intimate partner.”

Ralph Leroy Cooper pleaded guilty to murder and was sentenced Wednesday by a judge for fatally shooting 43-year-old Rhonda Rochelle Williams just before 9 p.m. on Aug. 25, 2020.

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A Houston woman who killed a friend and kidnapped the victim’s newborn baby was sentenced to 40 years in prison on Tuesday, Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg announced.

“This was a premeditated murder and kidnapping that should have never happened,” Ogg said. “I wish there was a way to undo all the harm and pain that this defendant inflicted on others, but all we can do is work to ensure that she spends decades in prison for her actions.”

Erika Miranda-Alvarez, 35, pleaded guilty to murder for fatally stabbing 33-year-old Carolina Flores-Miranda and kidnapping the woman’s newborn baby on Dec. 19, 2017.

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A Houston man was sentenced to 60 years in prison Monday after pleading guilty to murder for gunning down two men with an assault rifle while he was riding in the back of a pickup in 2022, Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg announced.

“This was more than just a premeditated act of gun violence — this defendant’s every intention was to hurt, maim and kill, and now two families will spend the rest of their lives in mourning,” Ogg said. “Prosecutors with our Homicide Division worked to get justice for these families, and this defendant will spend decades in prison.”

Kurt Whitten, 21, was facing life in prison without parole if convicted of capital murder when he pleaded guilty to murder earlier this month for killing 20-year-old Jeremiah Joshua Ponce and 26-year-old Thomas Anthony Alvarado on July 27, 2022.

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A 52-year-old homeless man was sentenced to 50 years in prison this week for raping a homeless woman in downtown Houston in 2021, Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg announced.

“This defendant is not someone who made a mistake and needs a second chance. He has a clear history of repeatedly hurting people,” Ogg said. “Cases like this are the reason we have specialized divisions — our prosecutors in the Adult Sex Crimes Division are able to secure justice for vulnerable victims like this.”

Harold James Lowdins was convicted by a jury of raping a 59-year-old homeless woman at knifepoint under the Southwest Freeway overpass near a gas station in the 2000 block of Runnels on Dec. 17, 2021.

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A Houston man pleaded guilty to murder in the middle of trial this week and was sentenced to life in prison for killing a transgender woman in east Houston in 2022, Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg announced.

“This was a cold-blooded murder that the defendant planned out, set up and went through with,” Ogg said. “Shooting a defenseless person is cowardly and despicable, and we hope this defendant spends the rest of his life behind bars.”

A jury was selected Tuesday for the capital murder trial of 19-year-old Oscar Ariel Sierra, and testimony had begun when Sierra opted to plead guilty to murder in exchange for a life sentence instead of letting the jury decide his fate.

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A 22-year-old man has pleaded guilty to two counts of murder in a 2021 double murder in exchange for a sentence of 60 years in prison, Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg announced.

“This was a well-trained police officer from a major city who was just minding his own business and enjoying time off with friends on vacation,” Ogg said. “It is an absolute tragedy, and it shows that anyone, anywhere can be the victim of a violent crime.”

Frederick D. Jackson, of San Antonio, pleaded guilty to killing Everett Briscoe, a veteran of the New Orleans Police Department, and Briscoe’s friend, Dyrin Riculfy, during an apparent robbery attempt on Aug. 21, 2021.

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A Baytown man was sentenced to 55 years in prison this week for fatally shooting his wife at their home while their children slept, Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg announced.

“This man had a history of violence against domestic partners that escalated until he ultimately killed his wife,” Ogg said. “While we cannot undo the horrible things he did, we can do our best to get justice for the victims and make sure this man never again hurts anyone else in our community.”

Jason Jermaine Armster, 41, was sentenced to 55 years in prison for killing 36-year-old Charlene Grovell at their Sheldon-area home on March 31, 2020.

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A Houston man was sentenced Monday to life in prison for a crime spree that included six armed robberies in the Galleria area and a 2016 shooting that killed three people, Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg announced.

“This case shows the scale of damage and destruction that just one person can inflict on a community,” Ogg said. “A Harris County jury convicted him and a judge sentenced him — we were able to hold him accountable and get justice for all of his victims.”

Jerome Moore, 25, was sentenced late Monday after a seven-day trial. He was convicted by a jury last week of committing the first-degree offense of aggravated robbery with a deadly weapon on April 5, 2021. He was facing a punishment ranging from five years to life in prison.

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