Alleged Blood, Aryan gang members sentenced
The 8th District court has provided updates regarding sentencing on the two following cases, which were resolved in the past week:
[adning id=”33097″]
Lamont Lankeen Mitchell:
On October 19, Mitchell entered a plea of guilty to the third-degree felony offense of Assault Public Servant and a plea of true to a punishment enhancement paragraph, making the third-degree felony punishable as a second-degree felony, and his other two pending cases were dismissed after the defendant acknowledged his guilt in those cases.
The case was reset for a contested sentencing hearing to take place on December 6, 2021. At that hearing, Mr. Mitchell faced 2-20 years imprisonment in the penitentiary with an optional fine up to $10,000. Deferred adjudication community supervision was an option for the court as well.
“I handled the hearing, and the State rested on the pre-sentence investigation report and the discovery that was available for the judge to review, which included evidence from Mr. Mitchell’s pen pack from TDCJ that he was a Blood gang member,” assistant district attorney Zach Blackmon said.
Mitchell testified on his own behalf and was the defense’s sole witness.
“During closing arguments, I asked the judge for a proper prison sentence given the acts committed, the defendant’s criminal history, and his gang affiliation,” Blackmon noted.
The defense asked for deferred adjudication community supervision. Ultimately, the Hon. Judge Eddie Northcutt sentenced Mr. Mitchell to twelve years confinement in TDCJ.
Brandon Darel Roach:
On October 18, Roach entered a plea of guilty to the third-degree felony offense of Retaliation and pleas of true to two punishment enhancement paragraphs, making the third-degree felony punishable under the habitual offender statute, and an un-indicted case for Harassment of a Public Servant was dismissed after the defendant acknowledged his guilt in that case.
The case was reset for a contested sentencing hearing, which ultimately took place on December 20. At that hearing, Roach faced a punishment range of 25-99 years or life in the penitentiary due to his two prior consecutive penitentiary trips. Deferred adjudication community supervision was also an option available for the court’s consideration.
“I handled the sentencing hearing yesterday,” Blackmon said. “I called four family members as witnesses and the jailer who was the victim in Roach’s Harassment of a Public Servant case.”
Blackmon argued the court also had available to it numerous jail calls in which the defendant reportedly threatened to beat and kill numerous people, including family members, as well as a voluminous stack of disciplinary records from the Hopkins County Jail which, according to Blackmon, also showed a pattern of violent and insubordinate behavior exhibited by Roach during the time he was incarcerated in HCSO jail.
“There was also evidence that Roach was a member of the Aryan Brotherhood,” Blackmon stated.
Roach testified on his own behalf and was the only witness for the defense.
“During closing arguments, I asked for life imprisonment due to the overwhelming danger that Mr. Roach presented to society and his family,” Blackmon said.
The defense asked for probation involving mental health treatment.
Ultimately, Judge Northcutt sentenced Roach to 80 years imprisonment.
ADA Blackmon contributed this report. Editing for clarity and journalism stylistic conventions has occurred.
[adning id=”33207″]
