Jury sends Tyler man with gang affiliations to prison for 18 years

Published 1:40 am Friday, May 17, 2019

A Tyler man with documented gang affiliations and prior convictions has been sentenced to 18 years in prison and fined $1,500.

Alexandro Camacho, 37, pleaded not guilty in 7th District Court. A Smith County jury convicted Camacho of evading arrest and decided his sentence Wednesday, according to judicial records.

The incident occurred in December when officers with the Tyler Police Department’s specialized bike unit were searching for Camacho, who was a suspect in an ongoing investigation and had an active warrant for his arrest, according to a news release from the Smith County District Attorney’s Office.

The DA’s office said Camacho fled into City Park when officers saw him. They chased him down and arrested him, according to the DA’s office.

The DA’s office said prosecutors introduced Camacho’s lengthy criminal history, including a prior conviction for evading arrest and three prior felonies for burglary, theft and retaliating against a peace officer.

The jury was also presented evidence of Camacho’s gang affiliations.

The punishment range for the evading arrest charge was enhanced to a maximum of 20 years in prison due to Camacho’s prior convictions.