DALLAS — Julio Guerrero has been called a danger to society by police, victims’ families and even the initial judge in the case who lowered his bonds and then raised them again to nearly $2 million after public outcry.
But now, Guerrero is set to be released after his attorney Tom Cox was paid by Guerrero’s family to post his bonds. He says his client is innocent until proven guilty.
"And in this situation, his family has decided that they wanted to move forward and to pay to post his bonds so that at least he’s not simply sitting in the county jail while we’re waiting for our day in court," said Cox.
But, jail is where the victims’ families and prosecutors believe he should stay until trial.
He’s charged in the murder of 35-year-old Francisco Villanueva in May 2021, then two weeks later accused of shooting a 3-year-old girl in the head during a road rage incident and then shooting at Dallas police officers officers when they took him into custody.
Villanueva’s family says they are scared about Guerrero’s possible release.
”It was shocking news to all of us who thought he was still going to be in there and I didn’t think his bond was going to be able to be paid off,” Carlos De La Rosa, victims’ brother in law.
Under Texas law, attorneys can post bonds for their clients and don’t have to disclose how much they actually put down.
"I guess the fact that my attorney bond account was used to post the bonds kind of is an indication that my belief that he’ll comply with his bond and not abscond," said Cox.
Dallas County District Attorney John Creuzot says when attorneys post bonds they don’t necessarily even have to put down 10% to get them out.
"Now can attorneys post bonds without being a bondsman that is without being in the business of actually being a bondsman? The answer is yes they can and they don’t have to charge any amount, they can charge a larger percentage, a smaller percentage or nothing at all," said Creuzot.
Guerrero’s attorney says he will be under house arrest 24/7 and on an ankle monitor.
But that is little comfort to the family.
”To me that thing doesn’t do anything,” said De La Rosa.
There have been multiple recent cases of suspects cutting off their ankle monitors and in some cases committing crimes while on devices.
Dallas County Commissioner J.J. Koch says there are currently 638 violent offenders on monitors in Dallas County and 163 non-violent offenders and only 11 county employees monitoring the devices.
”Right now the program’s overwhelmed. There are entirely too many folks that need to be supervised on the program and unfortunately it has led to a number of pretty terrible consequences,” said Koch.
Guerrero’s attorney says he believes his client will comply and show up for trial
But prosecutors say he is a flight risk and has ties to Mexico and fear he will flee.