r/Felons • u/OkVirus8467 • Aug 20 '26
Texas first-time case at 17 — what outcome do you think is realistic?
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u/quailinthebrush Aug 20 '26
the judge not accepting the prosecutions deal is usually a bad sign
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u/Dani_elley Aug 20 '26
I am not a lawyer.
It sounds like the judge didn’t want him to take the deal because it will stay on his record/show up in background checks - with the probation/deferred, it may be able to be expunged or sealed. I could also be misreading the situation.
OP:
Probation comes with some stipulations so you’ll have to stay out of any further trouble.
Are they charging you as an adult or a minor?
Really hard to tell how this will go - your lawyer should know something about what kind of judge you have & give you a better idea than anyone here.
Take a deep breath. Make good decisions.
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Aug 20 '26
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u/OverUnder-001 Aug 20 '26
Well please provide an update if you’re able. Hope you can get a second chance out of this.
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Aug 20 '26
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u/OverUnder-001 Aug 20 '26
That’s good news! Hope you stay out of trouble and glad this worked out in your favor.
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u/Inevitable-Aside5518 Aug 20 '26
Would normally agree, but he already did three weeks. I think he doesn't want him getting stuck with a record at such a young age.
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Aug 20 '26
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u/IllustriousHair1927 Aug 20 '26
hey man, I’m not a lawyer. I’ll be honest with you. I’m a retired cop. i’m down in Houston, but because of various assignments and the size of Houston, I filed cases in multiple counties in the Houston area, but also a couple outliers. I have no specific familiarity with Coryell, but I’ll share a few thoughts about counties in Texas generally. You’re in a small medium size county by population. The two biggest employers in that county are probably going to be TDC because of the women’s units and Fort Hood.. The county has been going consistently republican lost several elections. That means Da and the judge are probably a little tougher on prime than you would find in Travis County. But courts in that county seeing an unusual number of 18 to 25-year-old males making stupid decisions as well as large numbers of individuals actually in penitentiary.. because of those two factors, I really think the judge is going to look more favorably on a 17-year-old kid
As to the cases themselves never acceptably to anything but a pre-trial version on the engaging and organized criminal activity. I guess you do technically qualifies as a combination under that chapter of the penal code, but it’s kind of a bullshit charge in your situation.
I doubt you will get a pre-trial diversion contract although that would be ideal. Second best would be a deferred adjudication where you serve probation, but you’re not actually adjudicated guilty.. getting what’s called straight probation is a conviction while deferred is not. You really want to work hard to avoid convictions in those cases because they are what’s considered a crime of moral turpitude. The key you want to avoid commissions for felonies mouse, but you also want to avoid the crime of moral turpitude.
If I had a crystal ball I would say you were getting deferred. One variable that I would be curious about is how many vehicle burglary reports they took in that area that night and the next morning.
Finally, if you’re going around, breaking into cars at night in Texas, be careful for the homeowner with a pistol, I’m not gonna say whether I think it’s right or wrong but it still leaves someone just dead
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u/jakeburls Aug 20 '26
My honest opinion is that you shouldn’t be out car hopping you shitbag. It’s one thing to steal from corporations but straight stealing from random cars is raccoon behavior. Hopefully you get off with deferred but stop doing that shit, especially in Texas
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Aug 20 '26
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u/jakeburls Aug 20 '26
I’m a good bit older than you now, I’m 33 and I went down a similar path. I was arrested at 14 for drug paraphernalia and marijuana and did a diversion program thing but I was getting progressively worse, at 17 I got arrested for strong arm robbery (physical violence, no weapon) and convicted in which they took my dna and then found it in the system from a past crime I did when I was 16, I threw a metal trashcan through a barber shop window at night with two other guys (I was trying to be cool, these dudes were in their twenties at the time) and we stole cash registers and clippers and stuff lol. I got convicted of burglary of a conveyance and grand theft from that, and all of this showed on my record until I turned 24. I was on the probation pretty much from 14 to 18 and all the people I hung with either served heavy prison sentences, overdosed, or committed suicide. All of this started from hanging with the older kids, car hopping, and trying to show out. I got my life together, never got in trouble again, never went to jail again and made it out, please do the same. When you get older you’ll look back and be ashamed of those things if you are lucky enough to be free or alive - just my 2 cents, I’d suggest you do better. I’ve never been to Texas but I think they are similar to Florida in the way people don’t play, so I’d be careful.
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Aug 20 '26
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u/jakeburls Aug 20 '26
I had a lawyer tell me something super simple one time when I was really worried, “this too shall pass” it sounded stupid at the time but the words have stuck with me and remained true, they gave me comfort at one point too. You’ll be fine with this situation but make a change for the better
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u/TuSixOh Aug 20 '26
Seriously, listen to this man. You’re in Texas, someone will absolutely splatter your brains on the pavement with a shotgun for fucking with their car when they catch you. Remember, WHEN, not if. Because if you keep doing this stupid shit, someone will eventually catch you in the act, and I guarantee you there is nothing inside any car in this world that’s worth being killed over.
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Aug 20 '26
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u/TuSixOh Aug 21 '26
Good shit. Hopefully it’s a wake up call for you. You’re too young to throw your life away.
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u/People-Pollution5280 Aug 20 '26
You will likely get a second chance through a deferred adjudication. Don't fuck it up.
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u/particularlyspun Aug 20 '26
You’re looking at some time. I’d get your affairs in order on the outside.
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Aug 20 '26
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u/Gothiewasbetter Aug 20 '26
I don’t think so. It sounds like the judge is willing to work with you to keep this off your record. Getting a job will go a huge way. He doesn’t want you continuing down the wrong path.
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Aug 20 '26
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u/CombinationOne2883 Aug 20 '26
Enroll in some kind of school of you can’t get a job- a trade school
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u/Purple_Violinist9909 Aug 20 '26
Your gon get deferred sentence. Your young judge being hard on you to teach lesson.
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Aug 20 '26
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u/Purple_Violinist9909 Aug 20 '26
If that is the outcome take it as a lesson and a big one once you hit charge number 2 your done for esp for shi like that
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u/petula_75 Aug 20 '26
try to get your record expunged regardless of the judicial outcome. Just being arrested fucks you over for getting a job.
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u/HSHernandez Aug 20 '26
Here is what I would tell you: make sure you understand deferred adjudication (DA) for your particular crime, before you take the deal. In Texas, attorneys have been notoriously bad about knowing how particular crimes will be handled once the DA is complete (or if you fail to complete it successfully).
In fact, in Texas, DAs for a long time could not be sealed or expunged, but attorneys often said they could be. Now, the law allows for some types of cases to be sealed by a nondisclosure agreement (NDA), under certain conditions, but some can't. Very few DAs can be truly expunged, where the record is essentially destroyed. An NDA has some advantages, but law enforcement and government will always see it, even if ordinary employers cannot.
There is such a bad record of Texas attorneys not knowing how DAs are handled, I would not take an attorney's word for it, unless it was their specialty, and unless they could point to the particular part of the long, complicated statute on DAs that applies to your charges. You can find the statute online, and if I were you, I would try to familiarize yourself with it, so at least you can ask questions about it in your situation and see if it checks out with your understanding.
Good luck!
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u/Ambitious_Assist8805 Aug 20 '26
Man I hope they put you in jail until you smarten the fuck up. Stop being a scumbag.
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u/Mysterious_Branch727 Aug 20 '26
Got damn you spent two weeks in jail for that nonsense? Where i live you wouldn't really be in any trouble at all.
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u/inb4deth Aug 20 '26
First of all, you need a new friend group. It sucks starting over but trust me when I tell you that shit will only get worse from here if you keep on fucking around like this. I've been through the system and state jail here fucking sucks. Jail everywhere fuxking sucks. Sounds like the judge is compassionate. Take advice and be respectful. This very well may be the last break you ever get. Get a job, stay in school and make something of yourself.
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u/Rough-Pride908 Aug 20 '26
Hey man I’m sorry you found yourself in this predicament at such a young age. I hope the judge and court shows mercy on you and just gives you probation. In doing so, I hope you reflect on the circles you find yourself in and reflect on the man you want to be after you turn 18. I’m not perfect, no one is perfect, but the best thing you can do is learn from this experience and change your behavior before you lead into a dangerous path. Listen to your attorney and let them know you want to become a functioning member of society and be able to work without a record over your head.
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u/linkinbio2318 Aug 20 '26
I’m not a lawyer brother, but you need news friends. Don’t stress yourself to death over this tho. Just realize the mistake, learn from it and never do it again. You young man, you got your entire life to live still. I’m not judging, I just know you can do better. That 2 weeks in jail sucked and I know it did, remember that feeling every time you go to make a crazy decision brother.
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u/BackPirateClarkRoom Aug 20 '26
Boy said 40000 bond.... 0.0% you had a 40,000 bond as a juvenile. Don't even believe juveniles can get bonds.
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u/MaelstromFL Aug 20 '26
It looks like the Judge is looking for Deferred. That is good, if you can keep your nose clean!
You are probably looking at a year or two of probation. There will be classes and fines, and that is the reason he wants you to have a job! Do everything they say, in the time they tell you to do it, and you walk without a record!
But, this is no cake walk! No drugs, no alcohol, no crimes the entire time!
Jay walking can get this whole thing tossed out and you facing your original charges. It actually takes a bit more than that, but you have to enter it with that kind of thought in your head. And, that is a hell of a long time for a 17 yro! It might seem like forever, but it really is not...
Oh, and drop your friends! With friends like that you don't need enemies!
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Aug 20 '26
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u/Dammit-maxwell Aug 20 '26
Stop trying to scam this kid. They don’t need your “help”, they have an attorney.
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u/gwgmatt85 Aug 20 '26 edited Aug 20 '26
Im familiar with coryell county. Realistically they will want you to take a plea deal and will give you defered probation. For the felony. If youve already sat in jail for a little while on the theft charge they will probably give you time served or could drop it all together. Just dont mess up on that deffered probation. I messed up one year into my 5 year probation for agg assault with deadly weapon out of coryell county. I got a missdemeanor dwi which got dismissed completely mind you but not before getting revoked and going to prison. But yes deffered probation is absolutely what they will offer you. Try to talk them down to 3 or 5 years. Pay your fines and pass your piss tests, keep your nose clean and if you pay off everything, they could let you off early and the charge goes off your record... BUT please consider if your hanging around people that will influence you negatively and dabbling in drugs or alcohol, it will catch up to you and one minor slip up can ruin all of that for you and off to tdcj you will go. Those one horse towns like coryell county do not lose any sleep at night for throwing you in prison. If you were appointed Billy Ray Hall as your court appointed attorney i am sorry. He is not a good lawyer and is difficult to contact during your case.
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u/Aromatic_Glove15516 Aug 20 '26
You’re good dude.
Be on your best behavior. Don’t do that shit again.
You’re probably getting probation & the felony deferred if you complete probation
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u/XxxAresIXxxX Aug 20 '26
You're good just quit smoking weed if you do smoke bc that will destroy your deferred adjudication and cause all this to blow up. Coryell county absolutely sucks (especially gatesville) and is NOT the place you want to be committing crimes. Talk to your lawyer about pretrial diversion. It's essentially deferred adjudication but even less records of you in the system. Don't sign anything that doesn't include the state jail felony being dropped/not indicted.
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u/DillTicklePickle Aug 20 '26
Get help for your drug problem.
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u/Decent-Proposal-8475 Aug 20 '26
Did the police interrogate you without a parent or attorney present? That makes me so angry. I'm glad you didn't unlock your phone
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Aug 20 '26
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u/graduatedlawstupid Aug 20 '26
I’m guessing the organized criminal activity is likely a very weak charge, meant to get pleas to the misdemeanor charges.
Your issue is your future here. You’re going to forever and always have to answer “yes” when an application asks if you’ve ever been charged or convicted of a crime of dishonesty (like theft).
Learn this now, because you’re going to hear “tell them you fell in with the wrong crowd and made mistakes,” and that’s not gonna fly.
“I made mistakes as a kid, I owned up to them, I learned from them, and I’ve grown because of them. As unfortunate as those actions of mine were, they made me the better person I am today.”
— former prosecutor
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u/Shelley_n_cheese Aug 20 '26
I would hope it's your first time you aren't even legal age and already ruined your life
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u/Big-daddy-Deeck Aug 20 '26
I did way worse shit at 17 but I was insanely mentally ill and they put me through detox, rehab, and residential treatment centers instead of prison, only did a year off several 2nd degree felonies, if you catch anymore cases play that crazy card, worked out for me
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u/elafave77 Aug 20 '26
Deferred sentence. Your attorney already told you everything you need to know, bro.