Undocumented defendants plead guilty; await deportation
CROCKETT COUNTY, Tenn. – Undocumented defendants, Ulises Said Roman Morales and Francisco Torres Hernandez, entered guilty pleas in the Circuit Court of Crockett County on Monday, June 9, 2025. Both pleas were approved by the Honorable Clayburn Peeples, Circuit Court Judge.
Ulises Said Roman Morales pled guilty to Attempted Second Degree Murder, Aggravated Assault, Introduction of Contraband into a Penal Facility, and Escape. He received an effective sentence of 11 years to serve in the Tennessee Department of Correction. The first two offenses involved a domestic fight with family members, and the Escape conviction encompassed him exiting the recreation area fence at the Crockett County Jail and returning to the jail with contraband.
Francisco Torres Hernandez pled guilty to Sexual Battery by an Authority Figure and received a 3-year sentence with Community Supervision for Life and Sex Offender Registry for Life. Additionally, the Tennessee Department of Correction has processed his DNA sample for submittal to the Combined DNA Index System (CODIS), a national database for matching DNA samples with collected evidence in criminal investigations.
Crockett County Sheriff Troy Klyce has informed our office that his correction staff has contacted the U.S. Custom Immigration and Enforcement Agency (ICE) for both Morales and Hernandez to be processed for deportation purposes.
“We want to thank the Crockett County Sheriff’s Department and the Bells Police Department for their diligent work on these cases and the correctional officer team at the Crockett County Sheriff’s Department for efficiently processing these undocumented defendants for ICE to initiate deportation proceedings. If you are here illegally and commit a crime, especially a violent felony, our office will focus on effective prosecution to obtain convictions that facilitate removal from our community and our country,” said Frederick H. Agee, District Attorney General.
Assistant District Attorney Nina Seiler prosecuted Ulises Said Roman Morales and Assistant District Attorney Bill Hardegree prosecuted Francisco Torres Hernandez.
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