SAN MARCOS, Texas – Hays County Criminal District Attorney Kelly Higgins announced today that 34-year-old Robert Rene Rangel Jr. of Kyle was sentenced by Judge Tracie Wright-Reneau of the 207th District Court on Thursday, Feb. 15, 2024.
Rangel was convicted by a jury in November of assault family violence – impeding (strangulation) repeat offender and assault family violence repeat offender. The jury found him guilty after hearing evidence of an assault in Kyle in November 2020 in which Rangle placed his girlfriend in a chokehold that prevented her from being able to breathe. That assault occurred in the presence of a young child.
Rangel had previously been sentenced to prison after failing deferred probation for another strangulation case in 2014. He was facing punishment as a first-degree felony on Count I (which carries a range of punishment of five to 99 years or life in TDC) and a second-degree felony on Count II (two to 20 years in TDC). Rangel elected to have the Judge assess punishment following the jury trial and filed an application for probation.
During the punishment phase, the State presented evidence to show that Rangel had three prior convictions for assault family violence, including one involving strangulation, in addition to prior convictions for terroristic threat and violation of a protective Order. Judge Wright-Reneau also heard from a representative of the Community Supervision and Corrections Department who stated that the Probation Department recommended the defendant be sentenced to prison due to the nature of the offense, the defendant’s prior non-compliance with probation and the defendant’s assaultive history.
The State urged the Court to sentence Rangel to 20 years in prison; however, Judge Wright-Reneau placed the defendant on probation for a period of 8 years.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant Criminal District Attorneys Elizabeth Schmidt and Shelby Griffin.
Griffin said, “We appreciate the Jury held the defendant accountable for his violent actions. The District Attorney’s Office remains committed to protecting victims of domestic violence. We will continue to vigorously prosecute these cases and do everything in our power to protect victims of domestic violence in our community.”