by | Published
COMAL COUNTY, Texas - A Houston man with a history of domestic violence convictions has been sentenced to 45 years in prison after pleading guilty to multiple violent offenses against a woman he had been dating.
Rolando Cisneros, 52, of Houston, pleaded guilty to aggravated kidnapping, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, assault family violence with a previous conviction, and assault family violence by impeding breath.
Bruce Boyer sentenced Cisneros to 45 years in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. The court also made an affirmative deadly weapon finding, determining that Cisneros used his hands as a deadly weapon during the offenses.
Prosecutors said Cisneros was sentenced as a habitual offender due to prior felony family violence convictions. Authorities also identified him as a confirmed member of the Tango Blast.
The case stemmed from an incident on Oct. 14, 2024, when officers with the New Braunfels Police Department responded after a concerned resident reported a woman had arrived at their home seeking help escaping an abusive relationship.
When officers contacted the victim, they observed extensive bruising across her body, including injuries to her eye, face, nose, wrists, arms, and legs.
According to investigators, the victim told police she had been dating Cisneros for only a few months, but his behavior had become increasingly violent. She said previous attempts to leave the relationship resulted in Cisneros locating her and punishing her for trying to leave.
The victim reported that over the weekend of Oct. 12, 2024, Cisneros repeatedly struck her with an extension cord that had a knot tied in one end, threw objects at her, hit her with his hands, and threatened to stab her if she tried to leave.
She also told investigators that when she attempted to cry out for help, Cisneros covered her mouth with one hand and wrapped the other around her throat while ordering her to “shut up.”
Authorities said the victim further reported being kicked repeatedly during the assault.
On the morning of Oct. 14, after Cisneros left for work, the victim gathered her belongings and escaped, eventually finding refuge at a nearby residence.
Prosecutors credited the concerned citizen who contacted authorities with helping the victim reach safety and bringing the abuse to the attention of law enforcement.
The case was investigated by the New Braunfels Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Jennifer Feldman.
