Odessa gets 35 years in violence case
Sep. 1—An Odessa man with prior felony convictions was sentenced to 35 years in prison Wednesday after being convicted of continuous violence against the family in the 244th Ector County District Court.
Zacharia Lamont Jones, 51, was convicted of assaulting a woman on Jan. 24, 2021 and Feb. 17, 2021, according to the Ector County District Attorney's Office. The offense was a felony because both offenses happened in less than one year and he could have received up to life in prison due to his criminal history.
According to online Ector County District Court records, Jones has criminal convictions dating back to 1991. He's been convicted on drug charges, along with evading arrest, resisting arrest, assault family violence, criminal mischief, harassment and driving while intoxicated.
Records show an Ector County jury sentenced him to 80 years in the Texas Department of Corrections in November 2010 for violating an order of protection. It was the second time he'd been convicted of violating an order of protection.
Texas Department of Public Safety online records show Jones was paroled in April 2020.
Senior Trial Chief Melissa Williams handled this week's trial along with recent law school graduate Steven Lively.
Jones was represented by Johanna Curry and Judge James Rush presided over the trial.
