Facing 560 YEARS in Prison Defendant's Shocking Response to Plea Deal!

Added: 2026-05-22

[00:00:05]10 people and say if I get the same as one, but I'll just do 10 to just get it out of my system. You don't get to shoot 10 and not look at consecutive punches.

[00:00:16]You shoot one person, the the next person is a different You don't get a package deal like we're at the market.

[00:00:25]Uh six for a dollar. It's every every life, every victim has their own separate worth. Cortez Zachary. It's printed backwards on the document. The more recent cases are on top. The older cases are behind it on a different page.

[00:00:39]So, I probably should have added them together in chronological order.

[00:00:57]Uh have you You see there's an ISO loan.

[00:01:01]Well, I couldn't I couldn't find one.

[00:01:03]So, if Oh. It's that's that was uh the information I had when he first got arrested led me to believe some reason I made that note in my file. I don't know I can't really explain it.

[00:01:13]>> Cortez Zachary? Yes, sir. Okay.

[00:01:18]So, tell me Are you Spanish? No, sir. At all?

[00:01:22]>> No, sir. Oh, okay. Okay. 100% American.

[00:01:25]Yes, sir. Okay.

[00:01:31]Here we are. You know you got a lot of cases. Yes, sir.

[00:01:34]All right. You got to deal with this and fix this mess. Yes, sir. All right. Yes, sir. This Mantalini is very nice lady, very helpful.

[00:01:44]>> [clears throat] >> Do you know what you're charged with in each of these?

[00:01:48]Uh we can go over these one at a time so we completely uh under- you understand it because there's some serious punishment involved in these.

[00:01:59]In 23 CR 204 you were charged with the second degree felony of aggravated assault family Well, it says family. Is that There's no allegation.

[00:02:11]I just want to know It's family.

[00:02:14]I don't understand.

[00:02:15]Um What is that?

[00:02:18]Can you explain that? On 204 It was a member of the It's either the family Well, I don't know. It's with the member of the household. Did it list the family?

[00:02:27]>> listed? It has to be listed in the indictment, doesn't it?

[00:02:31]>> [clears throat] >> I'm looking. I read English pretty well.

[00:02:36]There's nothing in there. Do you have your file? There Excuse me.

[00:02:44]All of them are up here. There's eight of them.

[00:02:48]And he's asking that he be placed on the child abuse registry. He's willing to do anything.

[00:02:55]We're not going to We're not going to try them all together. We're going to try eight of them.

[00:02:59]And you understand this if you're convicted all those they'll be stacked on top of each other.

[00:03:04]So All the the ones that that are in consecutive order, 04 through 08, are all on the same date.

[00:03:10]Um the two That's That's not the point.

[00:03:13]are different ones. They could It's a different event. It's all one event. You say it's the same date? The five, 04 through 08, are all at the same event.

[00:03:22]Same date, same event. Well, yeah, but But you don't Okay. You don't get to shoot 10 people and say and I get the same as one, but I'll just do 10 to just get it out of my system. You don't get to shoot 10 and not look at consecutive punishments. I mean, it's It's The event is you shoot one person, the the next person is a different You don't get a package deal like we're at the market.

[00:03:50]Six for a dollar. It's every every life every victim has their own separate worth and individual accountability to to harm caused to them.

[00:04:03]Anyway, yeah, I've looked at it. You don't have to show me. It's not in here.

[00:04:08]You're charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon is what you're charged with, which is a second-degree felony. If convicted, you you face no less than two and no more than 20 years confinement and a fine up to $10,000.

[00:04:21]But, you're not only punished in law by the crime charged, but criminal history has a lot to do Once prior violent felonies enter the picture, the legal landscape changes completely. Habitual offender enhancements are brutal because they dramatically increase sentencing ranges without changing the underlying charge itself. A case that might normally carry a few years can suddenly expose someone to decades or life in prison. And prosecutors use that leverage aggressively during plea negotiations.

[00:04:51]With your punishment, your criminal history is pretty uh serious. You have a 2010 assault on a peace officer out out of Limestone County conviction.

[00:05:04]Thereafter, it looks like you have three convictions in the court next door in 2017 of aggravated robbery. So, if all of this is true, we're going to cut to the chase. You're a habitual offender status, which means you're looking at no less than 25 years up to 99 years or life in prison.

[00:05:27]That's just in that one.

[00:05:29]In 23 and I'm not sure what the family if it's dating or family whatever with what difference that could make. It doesn't, Your Honor. It's just the way they showed it.

[00:05:43]With his fan with his history. Then you have um 23 CR 205 which also alleges on or about the same date, January 29th, 2023, uh committing the first-degree felony of assault. It's first-degree felony.

[00:06:05]All right, in 23 CR 205, this uh alleges similar allegations as the previous case.

[00:06:12]And it's In the caption, it says a first-degree felony, but I think that's wrong. I think it's second-degree. Yes.

[00:06:17]So, you're looking at um Yeah.

[00:06:22]It's still the same enhancement. This the same punishment range as the previous case. Do you understand? Sir.

[00:06:28]Felony over there.

[00:06:30]Then 23 CR 206, it alleges on or on or about that the same date, January 29th, 2023 in Jefferson County, Texas, you committed a state jail felony of unlawful restraint of a person's young child younger than 17, a state jail felony.

[00:06:50]So, that is A state jail felony is generally no less than 180 days up to 2 years in a state jail and a fine up to $10,000.

[00:06:59]But, you've got these prior convictions on 2010 and 2017 alleged.

[00:07:05]The state jail felony is a state jail felony, but the punishment could be enhanced. And here, I'm it appears as though it can be enhanced to a second-degree felony punishment. So, you're looking at in that one no less than 2 nor more than 20 years confinement in prison and a fine uh up to uh $10,000.

[00:07:29]And 23 CR 207, this alleges on or on or about that same date, January 29th, 2023 in Jefferson County, Texas, committing the first-degree felony of aggravated assault with the same prior convictions so as before in the first two cases you are um looking at if convicted of everything, habitual felony status, no less than 25 up to 99 years or life in prison that um that one and 23 CR208 Now now it alleges a um aggravated assault assault with a dating relationship uh in this case, the same date January on or about January 29th, 2023 in Jefferson County, Texas.

[00:08:21]First degree felony with the same prior convictions. So it's all 20 minimum of 25 up to life in prison.

[00:08:31]And finally 23 No, not finally.

[00:08:36]Next to uh almost there.

[00:08:39]23 CR882 This alleges that on or about October 6th of 2022 before the other events, it is alleged that you committed illegal possession of cocaine, a state jail felony.

[00:08:53]But it has those same four prior convictions in 2010 and 2017. So if convicted, this state jail felony becomes punished as though it were a second degree felony up to 20 years in prison.

[00:09:07]And finally, 24 CR476 It alleges on or about November 15th, 2022 in Jefferson County, Texas you committed a second degree felony of illegal possession of methamphetamine, controlled substance. If convicted, you're looking at no less than two, no more than 20 years confined in prison and a fine up to $10,000, but those same four prior convictions that we talked about in 2010 and the three in 2017 are alleged. So that enhances it to an habitual felony status. So, if convicted, you're looking no less than 25 up to life.

[00:09:45]Up to 99 years or life in prison.

[00:09:50]So, seven different cases and essentially, if convicted on each of those, You may be missing one or the other.

[00:10:02]two, four, six >> [clears throat] >> I am Is it 0477? Is that the 0477 is on or about November 15th, it is alleged 2022, you committed illegal possession of cocaine, a state jail felony with the same prior convictions, so that is a state jail but it is enhanced as though it were a second-degree felony, so that's up to again, no less than two, no more than 20 years confinement to prison, a fine up to $10,000 as uh punishment.

[00:10:36]That number sounds unbelievable, but this is exactly how stacked felony exposure works in America.

[00:10:43]Prosecutors don't necessarily expect someone to serve 560 actual years. The number functions as pressure.

[00:10:50]It creates overwhelming incentive to take a plea deal instead of risking trial.

[00:10:56]When defendants reject an offer under circumstances like this, they're effectively gambling against catastrophic sentencing exposure.

[00:11:05]So, at the end of the day, these eight cases uh five are first-degree enhanced punishments of up to life imprisonment or 99 years or life imprisonment.

[00:11:21]Three of them are enhanced state jail felonies up to 20 years.

[00:11:26]So, you were looking at a total of, if convicted, about 560 years in prison.

[00:11:34]And you to just to for the record, I think the second degree first degree felonies were actually determined to be second degrees, but still the 25 to life applies.

[00:11:43]Um and so it's all I had discussed with him the recommendation and he is wishing to be placed on the trial docket.

[00:11:49]>> Okay, here's what we'll do. We're going to try them one at a time. That's all we can do. That you don't get a package deal, you go one at a time. We'll try these and uh that's that's okay. That's what we do.

[00:12:00]And uh but the deals are off. We're going to try them and we'll see where this a jury in this county finds your fate. So, that's what you want. Um Miss Fantalini can continue to represent you. She's a fine lawyer. You'll probably go to trial quicker if you believe to release her, but that's your business. What would you like to do?

[00:12:22]I'll keep her or I'll find a new lawyer.

[00:12:25]You'll get to trial quicker probably if you ask for a new lawyer. Uh but that's your choice, not mine. Not hers either. It's your choice.

[00:12:35]What do you want?

[00:12:36]I want to go to trial I'm not going to tell you.

[00:12:40]It's different for each person.

[00:12:45]Do you want this these trials as soon as practical?

[00:12:50]Yes, sir. Okay, then we'll then if you agree to release her the next person on the trial docket will be appointed today then start getting ready to try them if if that's what you want.

[00:13:03]It's your choice. What do you want? Yes, sir. Then that shall be done that way. I find good cause to release Miss Fantalini. These will be set for trial.

[00:13:12]Thank you. Do you understand clearly your fate here?

[00:13:16]Well, the people was there a a recommendation that you all wanted to put on the record because we're talking about a big difference and this decision will be the ultimate destiny in his life.

[00:13:29]>> Yes, it was 25 This is the moment viewers should pay closest attention to because it reveals the true plea bargain value. The state was willing to wipe out most of the exposure in exchange for a guaranteed conviction and sentence. From a defense perspective, rejecting that kind of deal is incredibly risky, but some defendants would rather take their chances with a jury than accept spending decades in prison automatically.

[00:13:54]years on close numbers 23 DCCR 0204008 and dismissing all the other matters.

[00:14:03]And they would run concurrently? Except one of them 0623 DCCR 0206 would have been 20 years. That was the maximum.

[00:14:13]20 to 20 They would be >> All concurrent. Concurrent?

[00:14:16]>> Yes, sir.

[00:14:18]25 on the 25 to life and 20 on the 2 to 20.

[00:14:23]All concurrent. You're passing on that.

[00:14:26]I'll leave it to the side.

[00:14:27]Sir? Leave the side of the waiver. I'm sorry. Well, I can't understand. You're when you were talking about shooting, none of these involve him shooting anyone. He's feeling like maybe you're thinking that those are the facts of this case, but they they're not included in your case. Well, it's what's alleged in each case. It's what's alleged in the indictment. It is what's alleged, not me.

[00:14:46]I'm I'm not that I wasn't there. I don't know. I'm just reading what this states, but the punishments are what they are.

[00:14:52]And if you're Notice how the hearing shifts from procedural to philosophical.

[00:14:56]The court is no longer just discussing indictments or sentencing ranges.

[00:15:01]It's defending the entire logic of cumulative punishment.

[00:15:06]Judges know these comments may later appear in appellate records, so statements like this also help justify future consecutive sentences if convictions happen.

[00:15:16]The message is unmistakable. This court views each alleged victim as legally separate, not part of one bundled event.

[00:15:23]Found guilty, each of them has a separate accountability.

[00:15:28]That That would If it would The law wasn't like that, then if you want to shoot somebody, shoot a hundred of them.

[00:15:32]You're going to get the punished the same. That's not That's not safe for humans. That's not That's why the law says each event each harm that is done to So, if you just got a murder in that Washington neighborhood All right.

[00:15:44]That is I'm not a debating you. That's what we're going to do. Then, all right.

[00:15:48]They'll be separate trial. We'll try one after another.