EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) — A man who fled from his trial in July was arrested recently and was sentenced Tuesday, Dec. 10 in Las Cruces to 24 years in prison on two drug charges, according to the Third Judicial District Attorney’s Office.
Daniel Ray Crawford, 42, was arrested on a bench warrant on Nov. 25 and taken into custody. The bench warrant had been issued after Crawford fled from his trial in Third District Court during a lunch break back in August, according to the DA’s Office.
During a sentencing hearing on Tuesday, Crawford was sentenced to 24 years. During his trial, he was facing two charges of posession of heroin with intent to traffic and posession of methamphetamines with intent to traffic.
The Las Cruces District Attorney’s Office called Crawford “a habitual offender with a string of second-degree felonies from years past, including battery on a police officer.”
Third District Court Judge Conrad Perea heard from several family members who pleaded for leniency, but prosectors argued that Crawford had a long criminal history and his fleeing at his own trial “indicated his absence of remorse and responsiblity,” the District Attorney’s Office said.
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