In typical fashion, as trial dates approached, several defendants struck plea agreements with the prosecutors in the Kendall County District Attorney’s office last Friday afternoon during the felony and misdemeanor pretrial hearings.
United States immigrant Venencio Rangel Ortega pleaded guilty to the second-degree felony offense of indecency with a child with sexual contact after he reportedly inappropriately touched his stepdaughter.
With consideration of the victim’s feelings and best interests, the state pursued the minimum prison sentence for a second-degree felony, two years, along with a lifelong sex offender registration.
Assistant DA Nick Socias was the prosecutor for the state.
However, being an immigrant, Ortega was warned by the visiting judge in the 451st District Court, Kaycee Jones, that his guilty plea would have ramifications for his ability to legally stay in this country, and he likely would be deported.
“Once you’re deported, you will most likely never be able to legally enter this country again,” Jones told Ortega.
Jones was a visiting judge from the 411th District Court in Polk County, sitting in for 451st District Court Judge Kirsten Cohoon.
Defense attorney Dante Dominguez advised the court the decision to enter the guilty plea was made with the conference of immigration counsel and Ortega’s family in mind. In the end, the plea was accepted, and Ortega is expected to be deported from the United States sometime within his two-year prison sentence.
Also, Obrian Moore pleaded guilty to a felony family violence charge of assault causing bodily injury and was offered two years of deferred adjudication. Moore will be required to submit for monthly drug and alcohol testing, to attend a battery prevention program and adhere to a two-year family violence protective order. Moore will not be allowed to have contact with the woman he assaulted for the length of his probation period, records showed.
Jones told Moore that any communication with the victim, even if she reaches out to him, could result in a new charge against him and lead to a ruling on the violation of his probation. Jones said the protective order is in place until the court rules otherwise.
Heydden Lopez entered an open plea with the court – a move typically reserved when the defense and prosecution cannot agree to a plea deal and the defense wants to avoid a jury trial – for the state jail felony of attempting to take a weapon from an officer. Sentencing will go before Cohoon, who has the full punishment range of deferred adjudication to up to two years in state prison.
As a result of the open plea, the state dismissed Lopez’s misdemeanor charge of resisting arrest.
In all, 11 felony cases remained on the docket for when Cohoon returns.
Three plea deals were reached during the misdemeanor final pretrial, following the felony docket.
According to the court information, John Edward Vogt II initially was charged with criminal trespassing in 2018 but ended up pleading guilty to the Class C misdemeanor of disorderly conduct, resulting in a $200 fine along with court costs.
Colton Weidner pleaded guilty to a family violence charge of the Class A misdemeanor of assault causing bodily injury. Weidner was placed on six months of deferred adjudication, but Jones warned that violating the terms of his probation could lead to him being sent to county jail for a year. Weidner reportedly had assaulted his mother who worked with the prosecution and determined probation and anger management courses would be best for him.
Lastly, Sandra Luz Hopper-Morales pleaded guilty to a Class B misdemeanor for possession of marijuana in an amount under 2 ounces. She was sentenced to two days in the Kendall County Jail.
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