November 3rd, 2009
San Marcos man gets 30 years

STAFF REPORT

A San Marcos man has pled guilty to two felony charges of cocaine possession Monday and will serve 30 years in prison.

James Christopher Miranda, 28, also pled guilty to two felony family violence assault charges as a repeat offender, for which he will serve 15 years in prison. In addition, a Hays County jury found Miranda guilty of another felony charge of unlawful possession of a firearm on Aug. 18. Miranda was sentenced Monday to 20 years on that charge.

The Hays County District Attorney’s office said Miranda will serve all those sentences concurrently.

The Hays County Narcotics Task Force learned during an investigation that Miranda was selling narcotics from different motel rooms, and that he was associated with Oscar Capetillo Lopez, another known drug dealer. In August, Lopez was sentenced by a jury to 80 years in prison for possession of cocaine with intent to deliver. One of Miranda’s cocaine charges stemmed from a drug deal he made with Lopez.

The punishment ranges on each of James Miranda’s charges were enhanced due to earlier convictions for escape and injury to a child and his two prior convictions for family violence assault.