HOUSTON – A Houston immigration attorney facing a felony family violence charge rejected a plea offer that would have sent him to prison for 18 years.
Hugo Balderas-Ibarra stood alongside his attorneys in a Harris County courtroom and formally rejected the state’s offer on Wednesday.
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The judge explained that Balderas-Ibarra had three options: accept the 18-year plea deal, enter a plea and allow the judge to determine his punishment, or take the case to a jury trial.
Balderas-Ibarra chose to proceed to trial, which is scheduled to begin October 19.
Attorney accused of strangling woman outside Hobby Airport
Balderas-Ibarra was indicted in February on a felony charge of assault of a family or household member by impeding breathing or circulation.
According to charging documents, the case stems from an alleged confrontation outside Hobby Airport on May 30, 2024, involving a woman Balderas-Ibarra was dating at the time.
Investigators said the woman had decided to leave the relationship and went to the airport early for a flight to Florida. Balderas-Ibarra allegedly agreed to bring her luggage to the airport.
The woman told investigators that Balderas-Ibarra threw her luggage on the ground and grabbed her neck as she bent down to retrieve it. She alleged that he squeezed and twisted her throat, preventing her from breathing for several seconds.
According to the affidavit, an officer photographed redness and swelling on the woman’s neck following the alleged assault.
The charge remains pending, and Balderas-Ibarra is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
If convicted, he could face between two and 20 years in prison. The judge also indicated that deferred adjudication could be a possible outcome depending on how the case is resolved.
When KPRC 2 previously asked Balderas-Ibarra about the Harris County charge, he said:
“I maintain my innocence and believe the focus should continue to be on my clients, rather than shifting focus onto me. Don’t lose focus!”
Florida battery conviction and probation
The upcoming trial comes after Balderas-Ibarra accepted a plea agreement in a separate criminal case in Seminole County, Florida.
Last month, he was adjudicated guilty of misdemeanor battery and placed on probation.
Following the Florida case, Balderas-Ibarra wrote on Facebook that he prayed “we put this behind us and focus on the real issues.”
Former client alleges malpractice led to deportation
Balderas-Ibarra and his law firm are also defendants in a civil legal-malpractice lawsuit filed in Somervell County, southwest of Fort Worth.
Carlos Perez and his wife, Adriena Perez, allege that Balderas-Ibarra negligently handled Carlos Perez’s asylum and immigration case, resulting in his deportation to Mexico.
The couple is seeking more than $500,000 in damages for alleged lost income and earning capacity, mental anguish, loss of companionship and loss of household services.
The petition does not identify the specific act or omission the couple claims caused Perez’s deportation.
Balderas-Ibarra and his firm have denied the allegations. In a court filing, their attorneys argued that the lawsuit is too vague and does not identify what Balderas-Ibarra allegedly did—or failed to do—while representing Perez.
The defense is also seeking to move the lawsuit out of Somervell County. A hearing on that request is scheduled for Oct. 14.
The civil allegations have not been proven, and no court has found Balderas-Ibarra liable for malpractice.
Probationary law license in Texas
According to the State Bar of Texas, Balderas-Ibarra has practiced under a probationary Texas law license since January 2025.
A State Bar spokesperson previously told KPRC 2 that he has never held a full, unrestricted license to practice law in Texas.
Balderas-Ibarra is also licensed to practice law in New Mexico.
Texas disciplinary rules allow the Office of the Chief Disciplinary Counsel to seek compulsory discipline when an attorney is convicted of a crime that meets the rules’ definition of a “serious crime.” It has not been determined whether Balderas-Ibarra’s Florida conviction qualifies or whether any disciplinary action has been initiated.
Balderas-Ibarra represents two witnesses who were inside a van with Lorenzo Salgado Araujo when an ICE agent shot and killed Salgado Araujo in Houston’s Magnolia Park neighborhood on July 7.