Allen Joe Fregia Sr., the man who made headlines after abandoning his own felony drug trial last week, has now been sentenced to 85 years in prison. His sentencing took place on Tuesday, April 29, 2025, in the 75th District Court before Judge Kaycee Jones.
Fregia was originally arrested on June 1, 2024, after Liberty County Sheriff’s deputies found him in a suspicious vehicle and later discovered methamphetamine hidden in his possession.
Despite being out on bond, Fregia attended jury selection on April 23 but failed to appear for the actual trial. Under Texas law, once a jury is seated, a defendant’s trial can legally continue with or without them, and that’s exactly what happened. After brief deliberations, the jury found Fregia guilty of Possession of a Controlled Substance, a felony offense.
Fregia was finally arrested on Friday, April 25, just days after being convicted in absentia. At his sentencing hearing on Tuesday, Fregia reportedly refused to accept responsibility for this conviction or any of his prior criminal conduct, maintaining a combative stance throughout the proceedings.
As officers escorted Fregia from the courtroom after sentencing, an altercation occurred between him and law enforcement. This incident has triggered a separate investigation, though details about the nature of the altercation have not been publicly disclosed at this time.
Authorities have not yet indicated if any additional charges will result from the courthouse altercation.
During the sentencing phase, prosecutors emphasized Fregia’s extensive criminal history, arguing that his repeated disregard for the law warranted a lengthy prison term.
While Fregia’s punishment may appear harsh, he is considered a habitual offender and has previous convictions for Aggravated Sexual Assault of a Child, Failing to Register as a Sex Offender, Aggravated Assault with a Deadly Weapon, Engaging in Organized Criminal Activity, Unauthorized Use of a Motor Vehicle, and Evading Arrest or Detention. This is his seventh and final trip to the state penitentiary for crimes. For the drug charge, he was facing 25 to 99 years in prison and ultimately received an 85-year sentence.
With his long record and the seriousness of his offenses, prosecutors successfully argued that Fregia posed an ongoing threat to public safety, leading to one of the longer sentences possible under Texas habitual offender laws.
Good riddance!