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Inset: Joshua Bermea (Comal County District Attorney’s Office). Background: The Comal County Sheriff’s Office in New Braunfels, Texas (Google Maps).
A Texas man is facing a lengthy prison sentence after being convicted of abusing a former girlfriend, as reported by state officials. The case highlights the grim realities of domestic abuse and its legal consequences.
In a court session last Thursday, 20-year-old Joshua Bermea admitted his guilt to charges of burglary with the intent to commit a felony, excluding theft. Additionally, he confessed to a separate charge involving drugs.
The ruling was delivered by Judge Gary Steel of the 274th District Court, who sentenced Bermea to 40 years for the burglary, compounded by another 10 years for the drug charge. Notably, these sentences are to be served consecutively, reflecting the severity of his actions.
The events leading to these convictions occurred in the fall of 2023, as detailed in a statement from the Comal County District Attorney’s Office.
After the end of their relationship, Bermea persistently harassed and intimidated the victim, underscoring the ongoing threat he posed even after the breakup, authorities stated. This case serves as a stark reminder of the legal and personal ramifications of such actions.
On Sept. 22, 2023, the victim told police Bermea followed her in his vehicle while he was calling her on the phone and threatening her. During this harassment, the since-condemned man told the woman he was going to rear end her vehicle.
In one message, he said: “Imma make you live in hell.”
And the abuse indeed continued.
On Nov. 8, 2023, through the course of just that one day in question, Bermea sent approximately 250 text messages to the victim. Many of those messages were threatening, aggressive, and derogatory, prosecutors said. Specifically, the defendant threatened to kill the victim, hurt her family, and slash the tires on her vehicle.
In one message, the defendant told the woman: “Imma hurt the [expletive] outta you just [expletive] wait.”
On Nov. 9, 2023, the woman reported that she had been assaulted by Bermea, according to the New Braunfels Police Department.
“Bermea entered the victim’s home without permission,” the DA’s office explained. “When she told him to leave, he took her phone and began assaulting her. He slapped and backhanded her repeatedly, pushed her to the ground, and punched her in the body and legs. At one point, Bermea placed both hands around her neck and choked her, preventing her from breathing.”
During the attack, Bermea hit the woman so hard that one of her ears began to ring and she briefly lost her hearing, law enforcement said.
After the attack, Bermea dropped and broke the woman’s phone. After leaving the scene of the crime, he sent the victim another message that read: “I’ll be back one night to finish, where’s your protector, he wasn’t there, nobody to protect you, you a [expletive].”