HOUSTON – Houston police are becoming more and more vocal about dangerous criminals being given bonds that allow them back on the street to commit new crimes.
The Houston Police Union said it’s making local courts a revolving door.
Case in point, 19-year-old Angel Lopez aka "Fat Angel" is accused of murdering a man he’d committed a robbery with, Joshua Reyes, 17, in the 6700 block of Westover on May 5, 2017.
When Lopez ran from the crime scene, he pointed a gun at a Houston police officer who heard the shooting and was chasing him, police said.
Lopez fled to Mexico but was extradited back to Houston.
What concerns police is that he was allowed to post bond and was free after posting a $100,000 bond.
The Houston Police Union president, Joe Gamaldi, said it should have been much higher, something in the one to $2 million range.
“A $100,000 bond. All he as to do is post $10,000 to get out, and someone who is in the business of doing aggravated robberies, which is exactly what he does when he gets out on bond, can raise that in an evening,” Gamaldi said.
Lopez was forced to wear an electronic monitor when he was released, but cut it off and committed more crimes, Gamaldi said.
Court records show he was arrested for drug possession and theft, before being arrested again and charged Jan. 8 with armed robbery.
Gamaldi said it’s not an isolated case. He blames some judges and prosecutors as being either too careless or too lenient.
“There was a victim the other night of an aggravated robbery who should have never been a victim, who should never be traumatized for the rest of their life because the system failed that victim,” Gamaldi said.
Lopez is now back in jail being held without bond.