Arlington Man Gets 25 Years for Aggravated Assault of Pregnant Girlfriend

FORT WORTH, Texas - A Tarrant County jury sentenced a 39-year-old man to 25 years in prison after finding him guilty of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon in a family violence case involving his longtime girlfriend.

Christian McKinney was convicted in Tarrant County's 396th District Court. The Tarrant County Criminal District Attorney's Office lists the case as aggravated assault with a deadly weapon involving family violence and confirms the 25-year prison sentence.

According to prosecutors, Arlington police were called Nov. 6, 2022, after McKinney attacked his longtime girlfriend, who is also the mother of his children. She was seven months pregnant at the time.

Prosecutors said McKinney took the woman's vehicle and attempted to flee. The victim struggled to keep him at the scene while her daughter took over the 911 call.

During the trial, jurors also heard evidence about what prosecutors described as years of abuse in the relationship, including previous incidents involving strangulation, burglary and aggravated assault.

"Sometimes you have to fight for those who can't or won't fight for themselves," prosecutor Jasmine Banks told jurors.

Banks and Kimberly Barragon prosecuted the case. Darla Dowell served as the district attorney's investigator. The case was investigated by the Arlington Police Department. Tarrant County court records identify Banks and Barragon as the prosecutors and Dowell as the investigator assigned to the case.

After finding McKinney guilty, jurors heard evidence about his criminal history before sentencing him to 25 years in prison.