31 year old Patrick Dunn Jr., who contested the probation violation charge, was sentenced to a maximum ten years in prison for assaulting the victim in February and March of 2019.
According to the Brazos County district attorney’s office, after Dunn was sentenced in November 2019 he did not show up for any of his appointments and the probation office could not find him.
Dunn, who was tracked down last July and has been in jail since then, is awaiting trial on a forgery charge.
News release from the Brazos County district attorney’s office:
On Thursday, April 8, 2021, Judge Kyle Hawthorne of the 85th District Court sentenced Patrick Dunn, Jr., 31, to the maximum sentence of 10 years in prison for the offense of Continuous Violence Against
the Family following a hearing on the State’s Motion to Revoke Probation.
In 2019, Dunn pled guilty to the third degree felony offense of Continuous Violence Against the Family.
Dunn’s conviction stemmed from two incidents in 2019, in which Dunn became violent with the mother of his child. These incidents, which occurred in February and March of 2019, involved the defendant assaulting the victim after she made efforts to leave the relationship. In both instances, independent third parties had to intervene to protect the victim.
Due to the lack of prior violent criminal history, Dunn received a felony conviction and five years probation. As part of his conditions of probation, he was ordered to undergo the Batterer’s Intervention and Prevention Program, counseling to address his underlying substance abuse issues.
However, instead of embracing the second chance he was given, Dunn immediately failed appear at the probation office, failed to attend his counselling appointments, and failed to appear for any drug testing.
In response, the Brazos County Adult Probation Department repeatedly attempted to get in contact with Dunn, including attempts to reach out to him, friends, family members, and co-workers, These efforts were without success.
At the hearing, the State presented evidence to Judge Hawthorne of the underlying offense, as well as Dunn’s refusal participate or take advantage of any program or opportunity to rehabilitate himself.
At the end of the hearing, Judge Hawthorne sentenced Dunn to the maximum possible punishment for the offense.