COMAL COUNTY, Texas – A Houston gang member was sentenced to 45 years in prison for physically abusing a woman he dated in New Braunfels, according to the Comal County District Attorney’s Office.
Rolando Cisneros, 52, pleaded guilty to the following charges:
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- aggravated kidnapping
- aggravated assault with a deadly weapon
- assault family violence with previous conviction
- assault family violence by impeding breath
According to a news release, the Court agreed that Cisneros’ hands were used as a deadly weapon related to these charges.
Cisneros is now listed as a habitual offender due to previous convictions for felony family violence offenses, the DA’s office said.
The decades-long sentence follows a New Braunfels Police Department investigation.
The victim had arrived at a New Braunfels resident’s front door in a “panicked state” on Oct. 14, 2024, and asked for a ride to escape an abusive relationship, the district attorney’s office said.
Officers later spoke with the victim and noticed bruises across her entire body, the release said.
The woman told New Braunfels police officers that she had only been dating Cisneros for a few months, but he had become “increasingly abusive,” the district attorney’s office said. The woman attempted to leave the relationship, but Cisneros later found and injured her.
Throughout the weekend of Oct. 12, 2024, officials said Cisneros struck the woman repeatedly with an extension cord that had a knot tied on one end, threw items at her and hit her with his hands.
The woman told New Braunfels police that Cisneros also threatened to stab her if she tried to leave him. At one point, the victim tried to cry out for help, but Cisneros placed one hand over her mouth and the other around her throat while telling her to “shut up,” according to the release.
After Cisneros left for work on Oct. 14, the woman fled in an attempt to find safety.
“Through the help of the concerned citizen who alerted police, the victim was able to find safety,” the DA’s office said.
If you or someone you know is dealing with domestic violence, there is help for you. KSAT has a list of resources on its Domestic Violence webpage, which also explains how to identify different types of abuse.
If it’s an emergency, text or call 911. For wrap-around services, including the Battered Women and Children’s Shelter, call Family Violence Prevention Services at (210) 733-8810.
You can also contact the Bexar County Family Justice Center, which also provides wrap-around services at (210) 631-0100.
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