A 20-year-old Texas man has been sentenced to 50 years in prison after pleading guilty to burglary and a drug offense stemming from a violent attack on his former girlfriend. Joshua Bermea broke into her home and assaulted her following months of harassment. The sentencing occurred on Thursday in Comal County.
Joshua Bermea, 20, pleaded guilty in the 274th District Court in Comal County to burglary of a habitation with intent to commit a felony other than theft, as well as a separate drug offense. Judge Gary Steel imposed 40 years for the burglary and 10 additional years for the drug charge, to be served consecutively, according to the Comal County District Attorney's Office. The incidents began in the fall of 2023 after the woman ended their relationship. Bermea then harassed her relentlessly, the authorities said. On September 22, 2023, he followed her vehicle while threatening her over the phone, including a message stating, 'Imma make you live in hell.' The harassment escalated on November 8, when he sent about 250 text messages in a single day, many threatening to kill her, harm her family, or slash her tires. One read: 'Imma hurt the [expletive] outta you just [expletive] wait.' The next day, November 9, Bermea entered the victim's home without permission in New Braunfels, the New Braunfels Police Department reported. He took her phone, slapped and backhanded her repeatedly, pushed her down, punched her body and legs, and choked her until she couldn't breathe. She temporarily lost hearing in one ear from the blows. After fleeing, he sent another message: 'I'll be back one night to finish, where's your protector, he wasn't there, nobody to protect you, you a [expletive].'