COUNTY COLLIN, Texas — A 40-year-old man with 26 prior convictions has been sentenced to 35 years in prison, Collin County District Attorney Greg Willis announced Tuesday.
Carlos Espinoza was arrested on Feb. 21, 2020, after a McKinney police narcotics sergeant saw Espinoza run a stop sign after leaving "a known drug house," according to the DA's office.
Officials said the sergeant tried to conduct a traffic stop but Espinoza sped away. He ended up crashing his vehicle into a resident’s backyard fence and attempted to run, but was apprehended a few blocks away, they said.
According to the DA, while searching Espinoza's vehicle, officers found two baggies of methamphetamine and discovered that there was a pending warrant out for his arrest due to a parole violation.
Authorities said Espinoza received his 35-year prison sentence after a jury found him guilty of evading arrest in a vehicle and possession of a controlled substance.
During the punishment phase of the trial, prosecutors brought up evidence of Espinoza’s prior convictions that include arson, burglary of a habitation, and evading arrest in a vehicle.
Officials said 16 of Espinoza’s prior convictions were felonies and the other 10 were misdemeanors. "Because of this history, Espinoza’s minimum punishment by law was 25 years," a news release stated.
