Jer Auntey Pleasant, 25 (Source: San Antonio Police Department) Background (Photo by Leon Neal/Getty Images)
SAN ANTONIO, Texas - A San Antonio man was sentenced to four concurrent 50-year prison terms for a string of violent crimes, including the murders of two men he lured using a dating app, the Bexar County Criminal District Attorney shared on Sunday.
Judge Kristina Escalona of the 186th District Court handed down the sentence to Jer Auntey Pleasant, 25, following his conviction for the 2023 killings of Larry Wilson and Joseph West. In addition to the murder charges, Pleasant was convicted of aggravated robbery and aggravated sexual assault of a child.
Crimes linked through evidence
Pleasant’s two-day string of violent crimes began in April 2023. On April 14, Wilson was found shot to death in his vehicle. Investigators accessed Wilson’s phone and uncovered messages with Pleasant, who identified himself as "Derek" on the Grindr dating app.
The following day, West was discovered in his apartment with a fatal gunshot wound to the head. Ballistics testing later confirmed the same firearm was used in both homicides. Fingerprint evidence found at both crime scenes further linked Pleasant to the murders, allowing authorities to quickly connect the cases.
History of violent offenses
Court records show Pleasant’s criminal activity began at least a year before the murders. In March 2022, he committed an aggravated robbery under similar circumstances, meeting a victim through the same dating app before shooting them during an attempt to steal their belongings.
In July 2022, Pleasant also committed the aggravated sexual assault of a 13-year-old child. DNA evidence ultimately identified him as the perpetrator in that case.
What they're saying:
"I would like to commend our law enforcement partners and prosecution team for their tireless effort in ensuring that accountability would be achieved in these cases," Bexar County District Attorney Joe Gonzales said in a statement. "While today’s outcome will never restore the lives that were lost, it represents a step toward justice for the victims and their loved ones."
The Source: Information in this article is from the Bexar County Criminal District Attorney.