Defense expert Mark Steege, a sex therapist who testified he has treated hundreds of sex offenders in 35 years, said he evaluated Mark Benavides in April 2017. If you need help with the Public File, call 210-351-1241. Sometimes he would ask me my name, how old I was, and ask, What are you going to do? She would reply, I'm going to (expletive) my lawyer.. He is now treatable.. Prosecutor Michelle Chacon questioned the victim, who explained that she had sex with Benavides in July 2014 for her bond on the day he became her court-appointed attorney. Several additional indictments have been added since. May 25, 2022 . Women who employed him as their lawyer in prostitution cases told police that Benavides coerced them into having sex to help lessen their legal problems or to get their cases dismissed, an arrest warrant affidavit filed before the original indictments states. He cheated. } {"duration": "400ms","fill": "both","iterations": "1","direction": "alternate","animations": [{"selector": "#scrollToTopButton","keyframes": [{"opacity": "0","visibility": "hidden" Dismemberment trial: The murder trial of Gabriel Moreno, accused of killing Jose Luis Menchaca, began on Feb. 26, 2018. She said she rejected his advances and later lost her license, her car, job and apartment. Mark Henry Benavides was immediately taken into custody Tuesday night in Floresville, where the trial was heard. He would require her to say bye at the end to the camera. It took the panel nearly four hours to find Benavides, 48, guilty on all six counts. More: San Antonio woman gunned down by estranged relativedies two weeks after shooting. Her parents, Abdulah Fahmi Kala Al Hishmawi, 34, and Hamdiyah Sabah Al Hishmawi, 33, were arrested on Friday, March 23, 2018. I felt young and dumb and powerless. The woman said a friend referred her to Benavides in 2008 for legal representation. We know there are women that that did not want to talk. More: Couple get $8 million for loss of daughters body from San Antonio funeral home. Its worth life, ladies and gentlemen, Chacon said in her closing argument. Personal Life, Parents and Family Details : Your email address will not be published. Six women he had represented in prostitution or drug cases testified he coerced. This was someone within our legal community, Dahlberg said. More: Urestis wife files for divorce following salacious trial. Mark A Benavides, born Circa 1971 Mark A Benavides was born circa 1971. Julie Mott trail: A jury awarded Sharlotte and Timothy Mott $8 million on Tuesday, Feb. 13, 2018 after they found Mission Park Funeral Chapels and Cemeteries negligent in the loss of their daughters body. Each case will be tried separately. But he's a good person. He would tell her what to do and what sexual positions he wanted her in, using a handheld video recorder to film the acts from start to finish. Benavides faces up to 99 years or life in prison. Shes pleased that the conviction is now off her record, thanks to the DAs and public defenders offices. 'The jury found him guilty of crimes, not cheating.'. View the profiles of professionals named "Mark Benavides" on LinkedIn. The woman said Benavides kept trying to meet with her after that episode, but she was afraid. The consent submitted will only be used for data processing originating from this website. Linda Benavides, wife of ex-SA attorney Mark Benavides, asks jury to please be fair. Benavides sentenced to 80 years for coercing clients into having sex - San Antonio Express-News. 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Continue with Recommended Cookies. The defense has already filed an appeal. Benavides was convicted. Mark Henry Benavides was convicted Tuesday of continuous trafficking of persons for having sex with clients he represented on prostitution or drug cases. Mark Benavides, a former San Antonio lawyer, appears in the Wilson County Courthouse on Tuesday, March 27, 2018, in Floresville, TX. But he's a good person. She was later excused and replaced with an alternate. "I'm asking you to have mercy and give me the minimum," Benavides said while crying. Do you think the charges should be lumped into one trial? Linda Benavides (front), who is the wife of Mark Benavides, and his mother, Olga Benavides, are emotional after he was given 80 years after being convicted for continuous trafficking of persons on Friday. scott van pelt wife age. Benavides will serve 80 years for each count but the time will. Marvin Pfeiffer /For the San Antonio Express-News. He did. SAN ANTONIO Officials from the Bexar County District Attorneys Office and the Bexar County Public Defenders Office are urging potential sex crime victims of a disbarred San Antonio lawyer to come forward. I'm unaware, other than what's on the news.. The trial started last week and included testimony from all six accusers. More: S.A. teen who refused arranged marriage suffered 6 months of beatings, search warrant shows. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate. Benavides will have to serve 30 years before becoming eligible for parole. Under questioning by Guerrero, Benavides said her husbands demeanor changed after his arrest in 2015. Copyright 2023 KSAT.com is managed by Graham Digital and published by Graham Media Group, a division of Graham Holdings. He wasnt playing around. Benavides is accused of having sex with his clients in exchange for legal services. Fundraiser honors San Marcos child who was struck, killed CPS Energy sells circular Villita Assembly Building. She was 20 when she found herself facing possible prison time. To view the purposes they believe they have legitimate interest for, or to object to this data processing use the vendor list link below. The former attorney faces two charges of sexual assault of a child, one charge of sexual assault and another charge of continuous trafficking of persons, according to court records. Bendavid played the role of Barbara Hershey's character's son Dominic Blythe in Anne of Green Gables: A New Beginning. RJ Marquez has been at KSAT since 2010. Alison Dahlberg, director of the DAs Conviction Integrity Unit, has worked with Michael Young, chief defender for the Bexar County Public Defenders Office, to identify potentially hundreds of victims of Benavides and re-evaluate their criminal cases. The case was tried in Wilson County on a change of venue from Bexar County, with Senior District Judge Dick Alcala presiding. "I'm so sorry. She was arrested in 2013 for DWI; he insisted she plead guilty even though she said she was innocent. Please be fair. This is a carousel. More: Jury deadlocks in murder case involving San Antonio man whose remains were grilled. He attended Unionville High School and was subsequently accepted into National Theatre School of Canada, graduating in 2004.. Career. Benavides filmed videos of the violent sexual encounters, one of which was so graphic that a female juror fainted after viewing it in court. Former attorney Mark Benavides enters the courtroom of Judge Dick Alcala on Friday during the punishment phase of his trial in Floresville. Under questioning by defense attorney Monica E. Guerrero, Benavides said her husbands demeanor changed after his arrest in 2015. Steege said he saw a dramatic change in Benavides, from arrogant and entitled when they first met, to humble and treatable. Under cross-examination, Norton asked Steege whether he reviewed police reports and videos Benavides took of sexual encounters with his clients. He has applied for probation, according to court records. The father-of-two was convicted on all six counts he faced of continuous trafficking of persons and the panel took six hours to decide his sentences. Prosecutors said Benavides will be back in a courtroom to face additional charges. S.A. animal sacrifice was Santera practice, but was it illegal? Bendavid was born in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, to a Belgian-born mother and a Moroccan-Jewish father. I thought I was alone. You can see RJ regularly on KSAT Explains and Good Morning San Antonio. Copyright 2018 by KSAT - All rights reserved. The 48-year-old, who has since been disbarred, was first arrested in November 2015 accused of using force or coercing at least nine female clients into prostitution. Benavides is facing a minimum sentence of 25 years and a maximum of life in prison on each count. But Benavides said he believed the encounters were consensual and testified that trading sex in exchange for legal services was never discussed. Marisol Morales is a licensed counselor with the Bexar County Public Defenders Office and may be reached at 210-335-0701. And he did.. The case was tried in Wilson County on a change of venue from Bexar County, with Senior District Judge Dick Alcala presiding. He ran for judge and he used that as part of his operation, his judicial candidacy, as coercion, Young said. At the end, she said, he would ask her to say bye to the camera. On ExpressNews.com: Benavides sentenced to 80 years for coercing clients into having sex. The jury found him guilty of crimes, not cheating.. SAN ANTONIO Former attorney Mark Benavides has been sentenced to 80 years for six counts of continuing trafficking of persons. Before Benavides was taken away, the judge increased his bail to $150,000 on each of the remaining four cases pending against him. A Texas jury sentenced former San Antonio lawyer Mark Benavides to 80 years in prison April 6 for coercing clients to have sex with him in exchange for legal services. It dragged on for nearly four years. Share your thoughts with us in the comments below. Before the state and defense rested their cases, Linda Benavides told the jury Friday morning that although he was unfaithful, she didnt leave her husband of nearly 11 years after his arrest because she supports him. We are asking you for 25 years, she said. }] It's an understatement to call it cheating if its a criminal act, Norton replied. Rodriguez argued that Benavides did not kill someone and should not be sent away for life. Early life. Mark Henry Benavides, 48, broke down in tears on Friday as he heard the sentence and mouthed 'I love you' to his wife, who is still staying with him. San Antonio teen beating: A San Antonio 16-year-old who refused an arranged marriage endured six months of beatings at the hands of her parents before running away from her San Antonio home, according to court documents. It took the panel about six hours to decide on the sentences for the six counts of continuous trafficking of persons. Benavides was arrested in November 2015 and charged with compelling prostitution in cases involving at least nine female clients. FLORESVILLE, Texas Closing arguments were set to begin Friday afternoon in the punishment phase of the trial for former San Antonio attorney Mark Benavides. Some of our partners may process your data as a part of their legitimate business interest without asking for consent. "Theres others out there, I know. As he walked out, Benavides, 48, glanced at his parents and mouthed I love you to his wife. Anyone who feels they were forced to take a plea deal by Benavides is urged to contact the Bexar County Public Defenders Office at 210-504-6216. You can see RJ regularly on KSAT Explains and Good Morning San Antonio. He lied to you, sitting here. Mark Steege, a sex therapist, testifies Friday during the punishment phase of the trial of Mark Benavides in Floresville. Texas chain with San Antonio bakeries files for bankruptcy, How a viral chicken fried steak briefly closed down Mr. Juicy, Puerto Rican restaurant finds new life in former Rosario's spot, Report: San Antonio Rep. 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She told jurors Feb. 1, 2018, that she and Uresti would have sex in his law office. Lawyers are supposed to help you, not hurt you. A 32-year-old woman victimized by a local attorney recalls her ordeal from her early 20s. He did. Several of clients claimed that Benavides promised them he'd help them, and even get the cases thrown out altogether if they slept with him, according to an arrest warrant affidavit. Benavides was sentenced to 80 years in prison on each of the six counts of continuous trafficking of persons against him. Six women he had represented in prostitution or drug cases testified he coerced them into having sex to keep them out of jail or lessen their legal troubles, and videotaped the encounters, which were shown to the jury. What I saw yesterday (Benavides testimony), was a totally different man. Your lawyer is supposed to help you, not hurt you.. 'Sometimes he would ask me my name, how old I was, and ask, 'What are you going to do?' The woman said that, eventually, Benavides stopped talking to her about her drug case except to urge her to plead guilty. Charges against ten of eleven people arrested for animal cruelty in March, involving what one official described as some sort of unknown ritual involving dismembered goats and chickens, were later dropped. Mark Benavides Mechanical Engineer at Consulting Engineering Services San Antonio, Texas, United States 233 followers 232 connections Join to connect Consulting Engineering Services (CES) Texas. More: Urestis alleged ex-mistress admits to relationship with his business partner. Both told their stories to the Express-News, on condition their names not be published. The woman in the video later explained to the court that she felt she had to sleep with her lawyer because 'he said he would help me get my son back.'. When Norton asked if he saw a change in Benavides from his testimony, Steege said he did. His sentences will run concurrently, and he will be eligible for parole in 30 years. A recent review off the case showed the arrest wasn't supported by evidence and her conviction has been overturned based on Benavides' ineffectual counsel. He is a calculating and manipulating liar, she told the jury. What I saw yesterday (in Benavides testimony) was a totally different man. He also covers the Spurs for on-air and digital platforms. Prosecutor Meredith Chacon said although the state wanted for the judge to stack the sentences and have them run one right after the other, they decided to withdraw that motion at this time. Youre hurting me. Its rattlesnake season in Texas. Linda Benavides, Mark's wife, testified on Friday morning and asked the jury to "please be fair." She said she knew Benavides cheated, but said the couple have two children and she still. Benavides was sentenced to 80 years in prison on each of the six counts of continuous trafficking of persons against him. The second victim whose record has been expunged met Benavides when she was at the Bexar County Courthouse with her son, who was facing an assault charge. Mark Benavides is currently serving an 80-year prison term after he was convicted in 2018 of trading sex for legal services from women he was representing. Linda Benavides testifies Friday during the punishment phase of the trial of her husband, Mark Benavides, in Floresville. During the trial,San Antonio Police Department Detective Manual Morales testified that police found a filing cabinet at Benavides' home containing 246 of what the detective called "pornographic DVDs" that showed Benavides having sex with women who police said were Benavides' clients. But why should I have to do that?. "" 11-23; 09-29; 09-29; 2021 09-17 "" . Benavides, a former San Antonio lawyer, was convicted Tuesday of trafficking and having sex with clients in exchange for legal services. She was convicted of the DUI charge and was sentenced to two years probation, which she completed in 2016. He wouldnt help me for anything, she said. Mark Henry Benavides will have to serve at least 30 years before he is eligible for parole. His kids love him so much,' she told the jury while crying. | ezavala@express-news.net | @elizabeth2863, Benavides sentenced to 80 years for coercing clients into having sex, Man dies following hit-and-run on San Antonio's Westside, Canyon Lake animal shelter faces claims of neglect, abuse. On ExpressNews.com: Jury being picked to hear S.A. ex-lawyers sex case. Benavides gave her his card. This latest indictment marks the fifth open case against him, including two charges of sexual assault of a child, one charge of sexual assault, and two charges of continuous trafficking of persons. Read more of her stories here. Six accusers testified he forced them to have sex, making them believe it would keep them out of jail or lessen their legal problems. He faces 25 to 99 years or life in prison. She said she knew Benavides cheated, but said the couple have two children and she still supported him. Defense expert Mark Steege, a sex therapist who testified he has treated hundreds of sex offenders in 35 years, said he evaluated Benavides in April 2017. At first, I thought he was playing around, recalled the woman, now 51. mark benavides wife. Cop killer trial: Shaun Puente was found guilty on March 21, 2018 for fatally shooting San Antonio Police Department Officer Robert Deckard during a highway chase in Atascosa County on Dec. 8, 2013 that started after Puente, according to witnesses, committed two armed robberies in San Antonio. FLORESVILLE A Wilson County jury on Friday sentenced a former San Antonio attorney to 80 years in prison on each of the six counts he faced for coercing clients into sex. She later was excused and an alternate was seated. 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