http://app.dao.hctx.netHarris County District Attorney's NewsCopyright 2008 app.dao.hctx.net. All rights reserved.Patricia Lykos, District Attorney Harris County, Texas November 18, 2009 Contact: 713-755-3320 Donna Hawkins George Flynn DA’s Hot Check Amnesty Program Nets $186,000 in Restitution Houston, Tx – Almost 400 people paid $186,000 total in restitution to make good on bad checks and avoid criminal charges during the Harris County District Attorney’s Hot Check Amnesty Program last month, District Attorney Patricia Lykos announced Wednesday. The DA’s Check Fraud Division targethttp://app.dao.hctx.net/News.aspx?id=100PATRICIA R. LYKOS DISTRICT ATTORNEY HARRIS COUNTY, TEXAS November 2, 2009 713-755-3320 Donna Hawkins George Flynn 'Paw and Order' Program to Debut in Harris County Houston, Tx -- A news conference will be held at 2 p.m. Tuesday to announce the start of the "Paw and Order-Special Dog Unit" program of The Harris County District Attorney's Office and Animal Law Section of the Houston Bar Association. This twice-monthly program is designed to comfort children and other witnesses http://app.dao.hctx.net/News.aspx?id=99Patricia Lykos, District Attorney Harris County, Texas October 19, 2009 Donna Hawkins George Flynn Bill Murphy 713) 755-3320 Statement about the Sergio Gonzalez Case The Harris County District Attorney's Office strives to do the right thing. This is not always easy, politic or popular. With respect to the case of Sergio Gonzalez, we dismissed the criminally negligent homicide charges against him last week. After the plea was entered, senior prosecutors raised questions abouhttp://app.dao.hctx.net/News.aspx?id=98Patricia Lykos, District Attorney Harris County, Texas October 14, 2009 Contact: Donna Hawkins George Flynn 713-755-3320 DA’s October Amnesty: Final Chance for Hot Check Writers Houston, Tx – The District Attorney’s special October Amnesty program will allow bad check writers to pay up to avoid criminal charges and arrest in a later Harris County-wide warrant sweep, District Attorney Patricia Lykos announced Wednesday. The District Attorney’s Check Fraud Division is sendihttp://app.dao.hctx.net/News.aspx?id=97Patricia Lykos, District Attorney Harris County, Texas October 5, 2009 Public Information Office: Donna Hawkins George Flynn 713-755-3320 Domestic Violence Cases Surge: DA and HPD Expedite Process for Victims Houston, Tx – The Harris County District Attorney’s Family Criminal Law Division and Houston Police Department have enhanced their coordination to expedite the filing of domestic violence charges, which are now surging toward record levels, District Attorney Patricia Lykoshttp://app.dao.hctx.net/News.aspx?id=96Patricia Lykos, District Attorney Harris County, Texas September 9, 2009 Public Information Office Donna Hawkins George Flynn 713-755-3320 DA’s Program Secures 191 DWI-related Arrests for Labor Day Weekend Houston, Tx – The Harris County District Attorney’s Labor Day Weekend “No Refusal” enforcement program resulted in almost 200 DWI-related charges, with nearly 20 percent of those against drivers with prior DWI convictions, Dihttp://app.dao.hctx.net/News.aspx?id=95Patricia R. Lykos, District Attorney Harris County, Texas September 4, 2009 Public Information Office Donna Hawkins George Flynn 713-755-3320 Houston, TX – District Attorney Patricia Lykos announced Friday that new, expanded state laws for testing drivers’ intoxication levels will be strictly enforced for the anti-DWI “No Refusal” deployment during this Labor Day holiday weekend. Upgraded statutes took effect Tuesday to expedite the mandatory blood testing of DWI offenderhttp://app.dao.hctx.net/News.aspx?id=94Patricia Lykos, District Attorney Harris County, Texas August 21, 2009 Contact: Donna Hawkins George Flynn 713-755-3320 DA Gains Mexico Arrest of Fugitive in Harris County Double Murders Houston, Tx – The Harris County District Attorney’s Office, working with federal and Mexican authorities, has secured the arrest of a double-murder defendant who fled into Mexico, District Attorney Patricia Lykos announced Friday. Librado Medina Jimenez, 35, will remain jailed in Mexico whilehttp://app.dao.hctx.net/News.aspx?id=93Patricia Lykos, District Attorney Harris County, Texas August 20, 2009 Contact: Donna Hawkins George Flynn (713) 755-3320 DA Probe Leads to Woman’s Arrest in Massive Online ID Thefts Houston, Tx – A District Attorney’s undercover investigation has led to the arrest of a Houston woman suspected of stealing hundreds of identities for alleged theft of funds from victims’ bank accounts, District Attorney Patricia Lykos announced Thursday. Possible victims include residents of http://app.dao.hctx.net/News.aspx?id=92Patricia Lykos, District Attorney Harris County, Texas August 19, 2009 Contact: Donna Hawkins George Flynn 713-755-3320 Upgraded DA's Anti-Truancy Program Partners with 12 School Districts Houston, Tx - District Attorney Patricia Lykos announced Wednesday that an upgraded Stay in School Program will partner with 12 school districts to fight truancy in the new school year, after it was used with 33,400 area truants and their parents during the 2008-09 academic year. The http://app.dao.hctx.net/News.aspx?id=91Patricia Lykos, District Attorney Harris County, Texas August 13, 2009 Donna Hawkins George Flynn 713-755-3320 DA Announces Arrests of Three Fugitives in Separate Murder Cases Houston, Tx – District Attorney Patricia Lykos on Thursday announced that extradition proceedings will begin for two former fugitives arrested in Mexico on unrelated Harris County murder charges. Their arrests follow the capture of another murder case fugitive in Houston last week. Esequiel Rhttp://app.dao.hctx.net/News.aspx?id=90Patricia Lykos, District Attorney Harris County Texas July 31, 2009 Contact Donna Hawkins George Flynn (713) 755-3320 DA’s First Hot Check Warrant Roundup Follows Record Restitution Houston, Tx – The first-ever District Attorney’s hot-check warrant roundup resulted in 28 arrests by Friday morning, after an unprecedented amnesty period collected a record amount of nearly $130,000 in fees and restitution, District Attorney Patricia Lykos announced. Lykos credited the suhttp://app.dao.hctx.net/News.aspx?id=89Patricia Lykos, District Attorney Harris County, Texas July 8, 2009 Donna Hawkins George Flynn (713) 755-3320 ‘Hot Spots’ Draw 337 Arrests in No Refusal Anti-DWI Operation Houston, Tx – Harris County District Attorney Patricia Lykos reported that prosecutors and law enforcement teams combined for 337 total DWI-related charges in the latest No Refusal operation targeting area DWI “Hot Spots.” Patrols and testing units teamed up for the July 3-4 weekend to make 182 arrestshttp://app.dao.hctx.net/News.aspx?id=88Patricia Lykos, District Attorney Harris County, Texas July 2, 2009 Donna Hawkins George Flynn 713-755-3320 DA Offers Hot Check Amnesty; Prelude to Arrest Sweep Houston, Tx - Writers of bad checks can avoid criminal charges by paying off the amounts before July 15, or they face arrest in an upcoming, first-ever District Attorney's Office roundup, Harris County District Attorney Patricia Lykos announced Thursday. The amnesty offer is available for hot check writers whohttp://app.dao.hctx.net/News.aspx?id=87Patricia Lykos, District Attorney Harris County Texas July 1, 2009 Contact: 713-755-3320 Donna Hawkins George Flynn 713-755-3320 DWI "Hot Spots" Program Heads Toward July Fourth with 110 Arrests Houston, Tx - No Refusal Program police patrols and prosecutor teams have made 110 DWI arrests thus far in targeted "Hot Spots," as part of a special enforcement operation that continues during the July Fourth holiday weekend, Harris County District Attorney Patricia Lykos reported. http://app.dao.hctx.net/News.aspx?id=86Patricia Lykos, District Attorney Harris County, Texas June 24, 2009 District Attorney Charges Two in Murder of Officer Houston, Texas -- The District Attorney's Office filed Capital Murder charges against two adults allegedly involved in the organized criminal activity that resulted in the death of veteran Houston Police Officer Henry Canales. Andres Nava-Maldonado, 41, and Xiomara Mendez-Rosales, 36, are facing the most serious criminal charge for the June 23rd shooting in whichttp://app.dao.hctx.net/News.aspx?id=83June 25, 2009 Public Information Office Donna Hawkins George Flynn 713-755-3320 News Advisory DA’s Office Hosts Friday Donor Match Drive at Criminal Courthouse Houston, TX – The District Attorney’s Office will host a Donor Registration Drive Friday at the County Criminal Courthouse, to help in the search for a life-saving transplant match for a Houston physician and surgeon. The general public and county employees are invited to the Donor Registration Drive, which is hostehttp://app.dao.hctx.net/News.aspx?id=82Patricia Lykos, District Attorney Harris County, Texas June 22, 2009 Public Information Office Donna Hawkins George Flynn 713-755-3320 Commissioners Declare Anh Reiss Day Tuesday: DA Dedicates Friday Donor Match Drive to County Honoree Houston, TX – Commissioners Court on Tuesday will declare “Anh Reiss Day for Harris County,” in preparation for the Friday Donor Registration Drive to search for a life-saving transplant match for the Houston physician and surgeon. http://app.dao.hctx.net/News.aspx?id=81<h5>Successes, initiatives highlight start of DA Lykos’ administration</h5> District Attorney Patricia Lykos took office on January 1, 2009 with a pledge to begin implementing plans to make the office more efficient, effective and professional. Here are some of the accomplishments during the first 100 days of this administration: <h5>Victim Rights Division</h5> This division has developed a computer database to streamline the gathering of information for complainants and enhance the trahttp://app.dao.hctx.net/News.aspx?id=79Patricia Lykos, District Attorney Harris County, Texas June 11, 2009 Public Information Office Donna Hawkins George Flynn 713-755-3320 DA and Police Efforts Lead to Extradition of Alleged Sexual Predator Houston, TX -- David Jaime Romo was extradited from Mexico and booked into the Harris County Jail on June 9, on allegations of Aggravated Sexual Assault of a Child, Harris County District Attorney Patricia Lykos announced Thursday. The Jacinto City Police Department filed chahttp://app.dao.hctx.net/News.aspx?id=77Patricia Lykos, District Attorney Harris County, Texas June 11, 2009 Public Information Office Donna Hawkins George Flynn 713-755-3320 Mortgage Fraud Case Brings Conviction, 20-year Prison Term Houston, TX - Prosecutors have obtained a 20-year prison sentence against a defendant convicted in a mortgage fraud scheme that recruited bogus homebuyers, District Attorney Patricia Lykos reported Thursday. Hubbard Blackshear, 55, was found guilty of the first-degree felohttp://app.dao.hctx.net/News.aspx?id=76Patricia Lykos, District Attorney Harris County, Texas June 10 Public Information Office Donna Hawkins George Flynn (713)755-3320 District Attorney Gains Dog-Fighting Conviction, 15-month Jail Term Houston, TX -- Sterling Honoray Bates has been sentenced to 15 months in state jail on his felony conviction of engaging in dog fighting, as part of a large dog-fight ring that was broken up late last year, District Attorney Patricia Lykos announced Wednesday. Bates, 35, plehttp://app.dao.hctx.net/News.aspx?id=75Patricia Lykos, District Attorney Harris County, Texas June 4, 2009 Public Information Office Donna Hawkins George Flynn (713)755-3320 Trafficking Charges Accuse Trio of Forcing Teen into Prostitution Houston, TX – Three people have been arrested and charged with the first-degree felony of human trafficking for allegedly smuggling a 15-year-old Mexican girl into the United States and forcing her into prostitution in Houston, District Attorney Patricia Lykos announced Thursdahttp://app.dao.hctx.net/News.aspx?id=74Patricia R. Lykos, District Attorney Harris County, Texas Public Information Office Donna Hawkins George Flynn (713)755-3320 Memorial Nonstop No Refusal Program Nets 247 DWI-related Arrests Houston TX – The first nonstop Memorial Day Weekend No Refusal program resulted in the filing of 247 DWI-related charges in Harris County, District Attorney Patricia Lykos announced Friday. Of the charges, 51 were against prior offenders now accused of their second or third DWI. Six othttp://app.dao.hctx.net/News.aspx?id=73Patricia Lykos, District Attorney Harris County, Texas May 26, 2009 Public Information Office Donna Hawkins George Flynn 713)755-3320 DEA and DA Charge Attorney and Husband with Money Laundering Houston, TX -- The Harris County District Attorney’s Office and U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency have arrested and charged a Houston lawyer and her husband with felony money laundering of more than $100,000, District Attorney Patricia Lykos announced Tuesday. Lawyer Grace D. Kopacz, 39http://app.dao.hctx.net/News.aspx?id=72Patricia R. Lykos, District Attorney Harris County, Texas May 20, 2009 News Release Donna Hawkins George Flynn 713-755-3320 Intoxicated Boaters and Daytime Drivers Beware: DA to Conduct First Marathon Memorial “No Refusal” Weekend Houston TX – The Harris County District Attorney’s Office and area police will launch the first-ever marathon Memorial Day “No Refusal” program to target intoxicated drivers and boaters throughout the holiday weekend, District Attorney Phttp://app.dao.hctx.net/News.aspx?id=71PATRICIA R. LYKOS DISTRICT ATTORNEY HARRIS COUNTY, TEXAS April 27, 2009 News Release Public Information Office Donna Hawkins George Flynn (713) 755-3320 DA to Seek Release of Inmate in Questionable 1987 Conviction (Houston, Texas) Harris County District Attorney Patricia R. Lykos announced today that the newly formed Post Conviction Review Section, established to investigate wrongful convictions, has flagged a case for further review. Cases where convictions relied upon evidenchttp://app.dao.hctx.net/News.aspx?id=70JIM LEITNER FIRST ASSISTANT CRIMINAL JUSTICE CENTER 1201 FRANKLIN, SUITE 600 HOUSTON, TEXAS 77002-1901 PATRICIA R. LYKOS DISTRICT ATTORNEY HARRIS COUNTY, TEXAS April 6, 2009 Public Information Office Donna Hawkins George Flynn (713) 755-3320 Bellaire Officer Indicted by Grand Jury (Houston, Tx) Throughout March and April 2009, after an exhaustive investigation by the Bellaire Police Department and the Harris County District Attorney's Office Police Integrity Divisionhttp://app.dao.hctx.net/News.aspx?id=69CRIMINAL JUSTICE CENTER 1201 FRANKLIN, SUITE 600 HOUSTON, TEXAS 77002-1901 PATRICIA R. LYKOS DISTRICT ATTORNEY HARRIS COUNTY, TEXAS March 18, 2009 Contact 713-755-3320 Donna Hawkins or George Flynn DA's New Section Arrests First Cold Case Murder Fugitive Houston, TX-The unique Cold Case/Fugitive Apprehension Section (CCFAS)created by Harris County District Attorney Patricia Lykos has made its first arrest,capturing a murder defendant who had evaded police for over a year. Hilhttp://app.dao.hctx.net/News.aspx?id=68Patricia R. Lykos District Attorney Harris County, Texas March 13, 2009 Donna Hawkins George Flynn (713) 755-3320 DA Starts First “March Madness” DWI Testing Weekends Houston, TX – The first “March Madness” anti-DWI enforcement campaign will be deployed during remaining weekends of a month marked by the potent mix of drinking associated with Spring Break, NCAA basketball playoffs and other festivities, District Attorney Patricia Lykos announced Thursday. Prosecutors and area http://app.dao.hctx.net/News.aspx?id=67OFFICE OF DISTRICT ATTORNEY CHIEF OF POLICE PATRICIA R. LYKOS HAROLD L. HURTT March 11, 2009 News Release Donna M. Hawkins George Flynn John Cannon (713) 755-3320 (713) 308-3280 District Attorney and Police Chief Join Forces for Press Conference (Houston, Texas) District Attorney Patricia R. Lykos and Chief of Police Harold Hurtt will conduct a press conference Thursdahttp://app.dao.hctx.net/News.aspx?id=66Patricia R. Lykos, District Attorney Harris County March 2, 2009 News Release Public Information Office Donna Hawkins George Flynn 713-755-3320 DA Lykos Announces New Discovery Agreement (Houston, Texas) -- Harris County District Attorney Patricia Lykos on Monday announced the implementation of a new discovery agreement that will ensure transparency and fairness in the administration of justice. The agreement provides for the distribution of police offense reports tohttp://app.dao.hctx.net/News.aspx?id=65PATRICIA R. LYKOS DISTRICT ATTORNEY HARRIS COUNTY, TEXAS February 26, 2009 News Release Donna Hawkins George Flynn (713) 755-3320 DA Announces Juvenile Diversion Program District Attorney Patricia Lykos announces the implementation of a Juvenile Non-Petition Deferred Prosecution Program effective, Monday, March 2nd. The goal of this program is to ensure that first-offender juveniles who commit non-violent misdemeanor offenses are not charged with a crime, but insthttp://app.dao.hctx.net/News.aspx?id=64PATRICIA R. LYKOS DISTRICT ATTORNEY HARRIS COUNTY, TEXAS February 23, 2009 News Release Donna Hawkins George Flynn 713-755-3320 DA Lykos Files Charge in Case that Led to Release of Inmate Houston TX -- Harris County District Attorney Pat Lykos charged Andrew Wayne Hawthorne Monday with the October 2002 sexual assault of an eight year-old boy, in a case that previously led to the wrongful conviction of another man. Ricardo Rachell had been convicted by a jury of thehttp://app.dao.hctx.net/News.aspx?id=63Patricia R. Lykos DISTRICT ATTORNEY HARRIS COUNTY, TEXAS Feb. 6, 2009 Contact: 713-755-3320 Donna Hawkins or George Flynn Extradition Returns Ex-fugitive to Face Child Sex Assault Charges Houston TX – Alleged sex offender Darren Ray Castleberry is back in Harris County jail without bond Friday, ending a multi-agency extradition effort that began after his arrest in Thailand a month ago, Harris County District Attorney Patricia R. Lykos announced. Castleberry, formerly ofhttp://app.dao.hctx.net/News.aspx?id=62Harris County District Attorney's Office District Attorney Patricia Lykos January 30, 2009 Public Information Office Donna M. Hawkins George Flynn (713) 755-3320 Indictment Obtained for Technical Supervisor Charged with Tampering (Houston, TX) Harris County District Attorney Pat Lykos announced today that the 338th Grand Jury has issued an indictment against Deetrice H. Wallace for the felony criminal offense of Tampering with a Governmental Record. The Texas Department of Puhttp://app.dao.hctx.net/News.aspx?id=61Patricia R. Lykos DISTRICT ATTORNEY HARRIS COUNTY, TEXAS Jan. 29, 2009 Contact: 713-755-3320 Donna Hawkins or George Flynn DA Lykos to Prioritize, Expand Crime Victims' Services Houston, TX - Harris County District Attorney Patricia Lykos on Thursday announced detailed plans to significantly expand the DA's staffing, services and assistance for citizens who have been victimized by crime. That will nearly double the office's current resources for victims, and elevate thttp://app.dao.hctx.net/News.aspx?id=60Patricia R. Lykos DISTRICT ATTORNEY HARRIS COUNTY, TEXAS Jan. 16, 2009 Contact: 713-755-3320 Donna Hawkins or George Flynn DA Charges Woman in Alleged Patrol Car Theft and Police Chase Houston TX – Three felony charges were filed against a woman accused of stealing a Precinct 7 Constable’s deputy patrol car, fleeing from officers and causing a crash that hospitalized three teenaged boys, Harris County District Attorney Patricia Lykos reported Friday. Catrinna J. Millhttp://app.dao.hctx.net/News.aspx?id=59Harris County District Attorney’s Office Contact: Scott Durfee (713) 755-5816 IMMEDIATE RELEASE LYKOS TO BE SWORN IN AS HARRIS COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY Houston, TX - Patricia R. Lykos will be sworn in as the Harris County District Attorney; she is the first woman chief of the Office since it was created more than 100 years ago. Ceremony is: January 1, 2009 at 10:00 am in the Harris County Jury Assembly Room at 1019 Congress, First Floor. Guests will be welcomed by the Honorable Roberthttp://app.dao.hctx.net/News.aspx?id=5812/23/2008 DA-elect Lykos Announces Leadership Team District Attorney-elect Patricia Lykos Dec. 23, 2008 Contact: 713-755-3320 Donna Hawkins or George Flynn DA-elect Lykos Announces Experienced, Respected Leadership Team Houston TX – Harris County District Attorney-elect Patricia Lykos today introduced a leadership team that brings extensive management and criminal justice system experience to her administration, which begins Jan.1. They have decades of success in all aspehttp://app.dao.hctx.net/News.aspx?id=57