A 42-year-old registered sex offender was sentenced to life in prison without parole this week for molesting a child, Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg announced.

“Not only was this man a habitual criminal who had been to prison before for sexually assaulting a minor, but he was a registered sex offender,” Ogg said. “He is a predator, and he will now spend the rest of his life in prison.”

Manuel Enrique Arana Jr. was convicted by a jury on Monday of continuous sexual assault of a child under the age of 14 and automatically sentenced to life in prison without parole.

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A Houston woman was sentenced to 23 years in prison Tuesday for murder in the fatal shooting of a classmate at Lamar High School in 2018, Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg announced.

“This was not just an ambush, but an execution that was planned and carried out by several people, and we want to hold all of them responsible to get justice for the victim and his family,” Ogg said.

Keona Samireal Mouton, 22, was convicted by a jury of murder Tuesday for her role in the shooting death of 18-year-old Delindsey Mack on Nov. 13, 2018.

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The third and final defendant convicted of killing 71-year-old Martha Medina by dragging her during a daytime purse snatching outside an east Harris County McDonald’s has been sentenced to 50 years in prison, District Attorney Kim Ogg announced.

“These three men schemed, watched and waited to ambush someone leaving a bank, and their greed cost this beloved mother and grandmother her life,” Ogg said. “While we can’t undo the horrible thing they did, we have worked to ensure that they spend decades in prison for their actions.”

Lawrence Earl Thomas, 42, was convicted by a jury of the first-degree felony of engaging in organized criminal activity during a four-day trial last week.

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A 53-year-old Houston man was sentenced late Tuesday to 45 years in prison for killing his girlfriend and shooting her adult daughter during an argument in January 2023.

“The victim in this case was a loving, caring mother who was killed tragically when an argument escalated into a murder,” Ogg said. “This defendant intentionally chose to take a life, and now he will likely spend the rest of his life behind bars thinking about that decision.”

Christopher George Edwards, 53, pleaded guilty to shooting 41-year-old Tamarah Derry in the face during a heated argument at their apartment in south Houston on Jan. 23, 2023.

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A 22-year-old Houston man was sentenced late Thursday to life in prison after being convicted of capital murder for killing an acquaintance while robbing him at his apartment, Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg announced.

“This was not a crime of opportunity,” Ogg said. “This defendant coordinated with other people to plan out and complete a robbery and murder, so life in prison is absolutely the most appropriate punishment for a killer like this.”

Jourdan Ellison was convicted of capital murder for killing a rapper he knew, 19-year-old Christian Alexander Lezama, on Sept. 4, 2019.

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A Houston man was sentenced late Wednesday to 55 years in prison after being convicted of murder for beating his 3-year-old nephew to death, Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg announced.

“Our children are our most vulnerable victims and when they are hurt or killed, we do everything possible to get justice for them,” Ogg said. “No child should ever be treated like this little boy was, and this child abuser absolutely deserves to spend decades, and hopefully the rest of his life, behind bars.”

Melvin O. Morales-Gomez, 31, was convicted by a jury during an eight-day trial for killing 3-year-old Kevin Ramirez-Lara on Jan. 30, 2020.

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A Cypress-area man who killed a high school friend in a late-night shooting was sentenced to 40 in prison on Friday, Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg announced.

“There was absolutely no reason for this cold-blooded murder, so we know this man is a danger to the community,” Ogg said. “In fact, after he was freed on bond for murder, he continued his criminal ways and was rearrested for carrying a gun.”

James Michael Sotelo, 21, was sentenced by a judge to 40 years in prison for the murder of Corey Thompson, a friend from high school who was spending the night at the Sotelo family home, on March 20, 2021.

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A 38-year-old Houston man has been sentenced to 26 years in prison for trafficking a minor, District Attorney Kim Ogg announced Tuesday.

“A man who preys on a teenage victim is a predator and deserves to go prison for decades,” Ogg said. “This victim was brave enough to help put her abuser in prison, and we are grateful to the jurors who helped get justice for this girl.”

A jury convicted and sentenced Akeem Olajuwon Winfield, 38, in a three-day trial last week of forcing a 15-year-old runaway to prostitute herself in 2018.

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A man who has been free on bond for the past nine years after his first conviction was overturned for a 2008 murder in Deer Park was sentenced late Wednesday to 25 years in prison, Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg announced.

Although Cameron Michael Moon was finally held accountable for his actions, Ogg noted that the case has languished in the appellate courts for years.

“Lawyers face deadlines every day,” Ogg said. “Appellate courts should have them as well for criminal cases, and this case shows exactly why. No family should have to wait 16 years for justice.”

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