Man sentenced to 40 years on drug trafficking and weapons charges, Kingsland
James Lawrence, 37, of Del Valle, was sentenced to 40 years in prison after pleading guilty to charges related to drug trafficking and unlawful firearm possession. Llano County Jail photo
Editor’s note: The following is an official media release issued by the 33rd/424th Judicial District Attorney’s Office on Monday, April 27, 2026.
On Thursday, April 23, James Lawrence, 37, of Del Valle, Texas, was sentenced to 40 years in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice after pleading guilty to possession of heroin with intent to deliver and unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon.
Lawrence was arrested in the early morning hours of November 27, 2024, after Llano County Sheriff’s deputies responded to a report of a vehicle obstructing traffic at the intersection of Corona and Dallas Streets in Kingsland.
Deputies found Lawrence asleep in the driver’s seat, bleeding from facial injuries and unable to explain how he had been hurt. A sawed-off shotgun and a pit bull breed dog were also present in the vehicle. While Lawrence was being evaluated by emergency medical service workers, deputies observed a bag containing methamphetamine on the driver’s seat.
After animal control secured the pit bull, a search of the vehicle yielded multiple firearms, additional methamphetamine, drug trafficking paraphernalia, and nearly 50 grams of heroin — a first-degree felony under Texas law.
Lawrence had previously been convicted of possession of a controlled substance in 2016 and bail jumping in 2023. As a convicted felon, he is prohibited by law from possessing firearms. The State was represented by Assistant District Attorney Joel Johnson.
District Attorney Perry Thomas said of the conviction and sentence, “Drug trafficking of this magnitude puts every member of our community at risk. This sentence sends a clear message that Llano County will pursue the maximum consequences available under the law for those who bring dangerous narcotics and illegal weapons into our neighborhoods.”
DA Thomas also expressed gratitude to the Llano County Sheriff’s Office for their diligent work in bringing Lawrence to justice.