A Henderson County jury found 36-year-old Freddie Castillo of Athens guilty of two counts of aggravated assault last Thursday. The following day, he was sentenced to five years in prison for one count and four years for the second count, to be served in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. The sentences will run concurrently.
The trial revealed that on September 28, 2024, Henderson County Sheriff's Office Deputy Blake Forney responded to a disturbance call on CR 4613 in Athens. The complainant reported that while dropping off Castillo's wife at their shared residence after picking her up from Cleburne with her husband and 13-year-old son, Castillo became irate. He allegedly yelled at all occupants and then retrieved an AR-15 firearm from his pickup truck, pointing it at them and threatening to shoot if they exited the vehicle. The occupants, including the child, testified that they feared for their lives.
Deputy Blake Seward, who also responded to the scene, heard Castillo yelling inside the home. He made contact with Castillo and his wife and located a black AR-style firearm leaning against tires in the yard.
During the punishment phase of the trial, the jury heard evidence of Castillo's prior criminal history, which included two convictions for driving while intoxicated and one for evading arrest.
District Attorney Jenny Palmer commended the prosecution team and the jury for their decision, stating, "Our community deserves to feel safe, and this verdict sends a clear message that violence and intimidation will not be tolerated. I’m proud of our prosecutors for their hard work and grateful to the jury for holding this defendant accountable."
