CORPUS CHRISTI, Tx — New evidence is causing a backlog in the case of an Annaville bar owner accused of grooming minors to take part in a possible sex trafficking ring.
On Thursday morning, Amanda Talbert appeared in the 347th District Court for a plea deadline hearing.
That hearing was derailed after Talbert's defense attorney, Mark Gonzalez, told Judge Missy Medary that he hadn't received all of the evidence from the Texas Attorney General's Office, which is prosecuting the case.
Gonzalez said he may file a continuance in the case. Medary asked Helen Tschurr, a prosecutor with the Texas Attorney General's Office out of Austin who joined the hearing via phone, for an update.
"As defense counsel said, we are still receiving discovery ourselves. The investigation is still ongoing. At this point, we're turning over discovery as we get it to the defense. So, the defense is correct. They do not have everything at this point. It is still in the process," Tschurr said.
Judge Medary pushed the plea deadline to Oct. 17 which is the day of her next docket call. Judge Medary said if there was still evidence that was coming in at that time, she would address what would happen next in this case.
During the hearing, Talbert's probation officer also requested that the judge address issues with Talbert's bond conditions. He explained that the new bond conditions attached to the latest indictment did not mirror Medary's original bond conditions. The newer bond conditions included a child safety zone that restricted Talbert from being near certain areas where children are, including schools. He said the problem was it restricted Talbert from picking up her 8-year-old and 14-year-old child from school. The judge asked Tschurr if making a change to her conditions would be okay, and she agreed it would be fine.
In the end, Medary ruled that Talbert's bond condition be changed to allow her to go to her child's school.
Talbert's legal battle began in May when she was charged with two counts of indecency with a child with a child with sexual assault. Her arrest came after a woman came forward in October 2023, claiming Talbert paid her and an underage girl $700 to have sex with an 80-year-old man back in 2007.
The Annaville bar owner was re-arrested on Sept. 13 after she was indicted on four new counts of continuous trafficking of persons. Her bond was set at $300,000.
Four days later, Talbert asked Judge Missy Medary to reduce her bond because it was excessive. Talbert said she was still paying a mortgage and doing odd jobs, including cleaning houses and mowing yards. Judge Missy Medary said since two new victims came forward, she would not reduce her bond.
Monday, September 23, Talbert made bond and was released from the Nueces County Jail.
