HOUSTON — Police have arrested Santiago Esparza, the man charged in connection with the death of his girlfriend’s 5-year-old daughter. He was picked up in Baytown.
Esparza, 30, and Patricia Torres, 27, are charged with tampering with a human body involving the death of Sierra Patino.
The little girl’s body was found in a closet on Labor Day after relatives reported a strong odor coming from the couple’s apartment.
Esparza, described by prosecutors as “a known gang member,” has a long rap sheet riddled with violence.
According to court records, Esparza was 17 the first time he was arrested as an adult.
Esparza's criminal record
Charge: Misdemeanor assault with bodily injury
Arrest date: 10/17/2006
Arresting agency: Precinct 2 Constable’s Office
Plea: Guilty
Sentence: 2 days in jail
Charge: Felony injury to a child with serious bodily injury
Court documents show Esparza seriously injured his young son when he struck the boy with an unknown object and threw him against an unknown object.
Arrest date: 11/12/2007
Arresting agency: Jacinto City Police Dept.
While awaiting trial on that charge, Esparaza was busted again.
Charge: Misdemeanor assault with bodily injury
Arresting agency: Jacinto City Police Dept.
Arrest date: 11/12/2008
Plea: Guilty to a lesser charge
Sentence: 30 days in jail
Trial: 2007 Injury to a child case
Trial date: 2/16/2009
Sentence: 10 years probation
While out on probation, Esparza was arrested again.
Charge: Evading arrest
Arrest date: 11/3/2010
Arresting agency: Harris County Precinct 6
Plea: Guilty
Sentence: 6 months in jail
Since Esparza broke his probation in the injury to a child case, he had to face a judge again.
On April 4, 2011, Esparza was sentenced to four years in prison.
While in prison, he broke the law again.
Charge: Having a prohibited substance or object in prison
Date: 12/14/2012
Arresting agency: TDCJ, Parker County
Sentence: Probation
After Esparaza was released on April 21, 2014, it didn’t take long before he was in trouble again.
Charge: Failure to stop and give info
Arrest date: 11/3/2015
Arresting agency: Houston Police Department
Plea: Guilty
Sentence: 96 days in jail
Fast forward to September 2019.
Charge: Tampering with a human body
Arrest date: 9/6/2019
Patricia Torres told police she and Sierra moved into Esparza’s apartment on Friday, Aug.23 and he offered to give Sierra a bath while she made dinner.
Torres claimed the door to the bathroom was closed and when she opened it, she saw Sierra’s skin peeling and found bruises on Sierra’s forehead.
Torres said her and Esparza agreed to put Sierra to bed that evening without calling 911.
Torres said Sierra died the afternoon of Tuesday, Aug. 27. She told police they wrapped Sierra’s body in a blanket and put her in a bedroom closet without calling police.
Torres remains jailed on a $50,000 bond.
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