JURY SENTENCES REPEAT OFFENDER TO 60 YEARS IN PRISON

  

A habitual felon has been sentenced by a Burleson County jury to 60 years in prison, on a drug charge.

53-year-old Elwood Hoover, of Caldwell, was convicted of Possession of a Controlled Substance on Tuesday, and sentenced Wednesday morning.

Hoover was found guilty of possessing between 1 and 4 grams of methamphetamine, a Third Degree Felony normally punishable by two to ten years in prison.

However, Hoover has multiple past felony convictions resulting in at least two prior, separate terms in prison.  This considers Hoover a “Habitual Felony Offender”, which changes the punishment range to 25 to 99 years, or life, in prison.

Hoover was arrested by a Burleson County deputy after being called in by a citizen as a “suspicious vehicle”. Hoover was found asleep in his vehicle, partially blocking the caller’s driveway and the public roadway.

The deputy discovered Hoover had an outstanding warrant and arrested him. Just under 4 grams of meth was found, when his vehicle was searched.

The State gave evidence of Hoover’s previous convictions at Wednesday’s trial to determine punishment. One was for 3 counts of Sexual Assault of a Child, also from Burleson County, in 2011.  The other was from another drug conviction in 1986, in Dallas County.

District Attorney Julie Renken praised the work of Assistant District Attorneys Barbara Enright and Ryon Adams. Renken said this the third straight 60-year sentence on a habitual felon in the past seven weeks, twice from a judge and once from a jury.  She said her office will continue “strong prosecution” against habitual felons.

Judge Carson Campbell presided over the trial. Enright and Adams represented the State, while Bruno Shimek represented the Defendant.