Judge Raquel West presides over the 252nd Criminal District Court in Jefferson County, Texas, a seat she has held since January 1, 2015. She hears serious felony cases out of Beaumont, has become known for lengthy sentences in violent crime and child sexual abuse matters, and has spoken openly from the bench about what she describes as a dangerous shift in youth violence across Southeast Texas.
The Court She Runs
The 252nd Judicial District covers Jefferson County and is formally designated a criminal district court, meaning it gives preference to criminal cases.1Jefferson County, Texas. 252nd Criminal District Court Under Texas Government Code § 24.429, the court’s terms begin on the first Mondays in January, April, July, and October.2FindLaw. Texas Government Code § 24.429 West’s docket runs across the serious end of the felony spectrum: murder, aggravated robbery, sexual offenses, intoxication manslaughter.
Her current term runs through December 31, 2026.3Texas Directory. The Honorable Raquel West
Notable Sentences and Rulings
Four Consecutive Life Sentences for William Rivera
In January 2022, West sentenced William Rivera, 58, of Beaumont, to four consecutive life terms in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. Rivera had pleaded guilty in November 2021 to two counts of continuous sexual abuse of a child and two counts of indecency with a child, and he had elected to let West determine his punishment without a plea agreement. Each continuous sexual abuse count carried a range of 25 to 99 years or life without parole, and the indecency charges were enhanced to the same range based on prior convictions.4Fox San Antonio. Life Without Parole for Man Who Sexually Abused Children for Years
Augusta Simon Jr.: 40 Years for a Beaumont Murder
In July 2025, West sentenced Augusta Simon Jr., 23, to 40 years after he pleaded guilty to the murder of 30-year-old Leroy Smith. Smith was shot in an alley near 2325 Calder Avenue in Beaumont in September 2023. Off-duty officers working security reported shots fired just before 2:00 a.m., and Simon and another man were arrested after a brief vehicle pursuit. At sentencing, the prosecutor presented a 12-page jail report documenting Simon’s history of refusing to follow rules and lashing out at correctional officers.5KFDM. Man Pleads Guilty to Beaumont Murder
Terry Rose: Maximum Sentence in a 1999 Cold Case
Kimberly Langwell disappeared on July 9, 1999. Her remains were not found until June 2024, when investigators acting on a tip recovered them from beneath the floor of a bedroom in the Beaumont home of Terry Rose. Rose, 68, rejected a 40-year plea deal in August 2025 and was scheduled for a December trial. He reversed course and pleaded guilty to murder on December 2, 2025, six days before jury selection. West sentenced him to the maximum of 40 years, with parole eligibility after half the sentence is served.6KFDM. Terry Rose Sentencing for 1999 Murder of Kim Langwell
Caden Fontenette: 25 Years for Armed Robbery
In March 2026, West sentenced 18-year-old Caden Fontenette of Port Arthur to 25 years for aggravated robbery. Fontenette was one of three suspects who robbed the Bulldog Express convenience store in Nederland in October 2025. Surveillance video showed one suspect armed with an assault-style rifle striking the clerk while the group pulled him around and pointed guns in his face. The two co-defendants were charged as juveniles.7KFDM. Judge West Says Enough of the Violence
Fontenette pleaded guilty without an agreement on March 10, 2026, leaving punishment to the judge. West rejected defense attorney Charles Rojas’s request for probation, citing a pre-sentencing report classifying Fontenette as “high-risk” and jail incident reports showing he had been fighting and “jumping people” in custody. Lead prosecutor Tommy Coleman urged a significant sentence as a deterrent. Because a deadly weapon was used, Fontenette must serve at least half of the 25 years before becoming eligible for parole.7KFDM. Judge West Says Enough of the Violence
Bonita Graham: Probation Revoked After Testimony Was Contradicted
On May 27, 2026, West revoked Bonita Graham’s probation on a credit and debit card abuse case. Prosecutors played January 2026 surveillance video showing Graham taking a wallet from an employee’s purse at a Groves auto shop. Graham testified she had only been picking up keys she dropped, but the video showed otherwise. West sentenced her to one year in state jail and admonished her from the bench, telling Graham that the deception had put her own defense attorney in “a horrible predicament” and warning that she could face an aggravated perjury charge. West added that she would have considered a lesser sanction had Graham taken responsibility from the start.8KFDM. Judge West Scolds Defendant Before Revoking Her Probation
Austin Jones Mistrial
On July 30, 2025, West declared a mistrial in the case of Austin Robert Jones, 25, charged with aggravated assault causing serious bodily injury. Prosecutors alleged Jones shook his three-month-old daughter in February 2022, causing severe brain injuries. During testimony, a detective improperly referenced polygraph results that had been offered to the defendant. West concluded that any instruction to disregard the testimony would only raise further questions and inappropriate assumptions, and she halted the proceedings. The case was set for retrial.912 News Now. Shaken Baby Case Trial in Beaumont
What She Has Said About Youth Violence
West has been vocal about violent crime among young people in Southeast Texas. During the Fontenette sentencing in March 2026, she said, “We’re tired of it and there’s got to be something done.” She contrasted the current climate with an earlier era in which prosecutors routinely recommended probation for young offenders, adding, “Things have just changed in such an incredibly dangerous way with young people.”7KFDM. Judge West Says Enough of the Violence
She has said she leans heavily on pre-sentencing investigations and jail incident reports when deciding whether a young defendant is a realistic candidate for probation. When someone classified as high-risk continues breaking rules while incarcerated, she has said, probation becomes very difficult to justify.7KFDM. Judge West Says Enough of the Violence
Background and Path to the Bench
West earned a bachelor’s degree from Texas A&M University-College Station in 1992 and a Juris Doctor from St. Mary’s University School of Law in 1995.10CourtListener. Jayne Raquel West She was licensed to practice law in Texas on November 3, 1995.11State Bar of Texas. Member Directory Detail
She spent nearly two decades in private practice in Beaumont, from 1995 through December 2014, and chaired the Jefferson County Bar Association’s Family Law Section.10CourtListener. Jayne Raquel West She carried a steady pro bono caseload through the JCBA and Lone Star Legal Aid, typically two or three cases at a time, including divorces, custody disputes, and protective orders, and she took part in National Adoption Day ceremonies.12Texas Bar Blog. Pro Bono Profile: Raquel West of Beaumont
West ran for the 252nd District Court in 2014, succeeding Judge Leonard J. Giblin Jr.13Jefferson County, Texas. 252nd District Court14Beaumont Enterprise. Holmes, West Win Jefferson Co. Runoffs3Texas Directory. The Honorable Raquel West
Switch to the Republican Party
On April 7, 2025, West announced she was leaving the Democratic Party and joining the Republican Party, saying the Democratic Party “no longer aligns with my values.” She said she hoped to win a fourth term, describing herself as the first and only female judge on the court and now its only Republican female judge.15KFDM. Two Jefferson County Judges Switch to Republican Party