351st Criminal District Court Judge Nata Cornelio granted Jared Wilson a personal recognizance (PR) bond despite state law prohibiting such bonds for violent crimes.
Wilson, 21, is on deferred probation after pleading guilty to aggravated robbery with a deadly weapon and repeatedly violating the terms of his probation, court records show. He received the PR bond even though Senate Bill 6 — enacted to bar PR bonds for most violent crimes, including aggravated robbery — makes such a release illegal.
“That’s a no-no,” said Andy Kahan of Crime Stoppers. “The law is clear — you can’t give a PR bond for aggravated robbery with a deadly weapon. It’s a violation of the statute, but it happened.”
FOX 26 asked former Criminal District Court Judge Chuck Silverman what consequences a judge could face for ignoring state law. While not addressing this specific case, Silverman said, “If you believe a judge abused their discretion or failed to follow the law, you can file a complaint with the judicial commission.”
After his release, Wilson was charged with two additional felonies: possession of a prohibited weapon — a machine gun — and tampering with evidence.
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