FORT BEND COUNTY – A man is sentenced to prison after a jury convicted him of assaulting his girlfriend with a hatchet in November of 2020, according to the Fort Bend County District Attorney’s Office.
James Augustine Gomez, 38, of Sugar Land was charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. He is facing a 10-year prison sentence.
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According to prosecutors, on Nov. 4, 2020, Gomez, armed with a hatchet, and his former girlfriend were involved in an argument as he accused her of cheating.
Gomez lunged over the woman and swung the hatchet toward her. As she turned her face away, she was cut in the cheek by the hatchet, prosecutors said.
The girlfriend told prosecutors in court that she had to treat her cut with a liquid bandage after Gomez destroyed her phone, which prevented her from seeking medical attention.
The girlfriend was able to wrestle the hatchet out of Gomez’s hands. Days later, she escaped to a family member’s home out of state with her two infant children, according to prosecutors.
“Gomez told his victim that she would remember that scar for the rest of her life,” said prosecutor Melanie Rozbicki,” but he has ten years in prison to remember what he did to her. And he won’t forget that.”
Because Gomez had a prior felony conviction, he was not probation eligible. Fort Bend County DA’s office said Gomez will serve at least half of his sentence before he becomes eligible for parole.
If you or somebody you know is a victim of domestic violence, Fort Bend County has resources to support victims and survivors. Call the Fort Bend County Women’s Center Crisis Hotline is (281) 342-HELP (4357) and/or National Domestic Violence Hotline is 1-800-799-7233.