Daniel Esparza was sentenced to two years in prison on Thursday after pleading true to several allegations that he had violated his probation.
Esparza, who also goes by Daniel Saenz, was sentenced to five years probation in March 2023 after pleading guilty to possession of a controlled substance.
A probation officer testified Thursday that Saenz admitted to using cocaine, failed to report, and refused to comply with probation officers during a motion to revoke hearing in the 347th District Court on Thursday.
Following that hearing, Judge Missy Medary said she believed Esparza had played the system and that probation had tried to get him help.
Defense attorney Michelle Ochoa argued that Saenz had made repeated admissions of drug use to the probation department but did not receive help, nor were those admissions communicated to the court.
She also argued that he needs mental health assistance and that he has mental health diagnoses, including schizophrenia and is bipolar.
Prosecutor Will Greenlee asked Medary to violate Esparza’s probation and sentence him to the maximum allowed by law, which is two years.