Related:

Feds come after Levelland man already facing death penalty


By James Clark
everythinglubbock.com

LEVELLAND, Texas - Already charged with capital murder and facing a potential death penalty, Omar Soto-Chavira was indicted Tuesday by a federal grand jury for one count of assaulting a federal officer with a deadly weapon.

Previous court records said Soto-Chavira, age 22 at the time, shot and killed Lubbock County Sheriff’s Office Sergeant Joshua Bartlett during an armed standoff in Levelland.

The LCSO SWAT team helped the Levelland Police Department in the 1100 block of 10th Street in July 2021. Officials said there was barricaded man firing a gun. During an exchange of gunfire, officials said Soto-Chavira shot Bartlett and other officers.

The standoff lasted for a total of 11 hours before Soto-Chavira was taken into custody.

The federal indictment said Soto-Chavira forcibly assaulted a special agent with the Department of Homeland Security. Some of the court documents in the federal case remained sealed but the indictment indicated the same date as the capital murder case.

Local officials at the time said federal law enforcement agents were on scene during the armed standoff.

The capital case was scheduled to go to trial in Cleburne, Texas on September 16, 2024. It was moved out of Hockley County on a change of venue.

The federal charge would be in addition to his charge for the murder of Sergeant Bartlett. Soto-Chavira remained in the Hockley County Jail Tuesday in lieu of bonds totaling $1 million. But even if he could post bond, he would still be held on the federal charge.

https://www.everythinglubbock.com/ne...death-penalty/