“WILL BE ELIGIBLE FOR PAROLE AT AGE 71”
On Tuesday, September 30th, 2025, the presentation of evidence began in The State of Texas v. Shawn Gollihugh. Chief Prosecutor Taylor Vanegas and ADA Madison Schrock presented the case to the jury. The Honorable Judge Patty Maginnis presided over the trial.
During the trial, the jury learned that on June 28th, 2023, Shawn Gollihugh, 46, of Irving, Texas, traveled from the Dallas area to New Caney, TX, to purchase 12 kilograms of cocaine for $156,000. Unbeknownst to Gollihugh, the seller of the cocaine was an undercover officer conducting a money laundering investigation into mid-level drug trafficking organizations. When Gollihugh completed the transaction, a law enforcement tactical team moved in to arrest him. Gollihugh – still in his vehicle – fled from the arrest, struck two law enforcement vehicles, and pinned one of the officers between the officer’s door and door frame. Fortunately, the officer suffered only minor injuries.
Gollihugh led police on a 26-mile chase into Houston at speeds up to 120 miles per hour before he crashed his car into a wall on I-45. Despite Gollihugh swerving between cars and driving on the shoulder at high speed, no citizens were harmed or involved in the crash. After the close of evidence, the jury found Gollihugh guilty of both charges and found that Gollihugh used his vehicle as a deadly weapon during the offenses. During the punishment phase of the trial, Judge Maginnis heard evidence from several of Gollihugh’s prior crimes and learned that Gollihugh had continuously been in prison or on parole since the late ‘90s. In 1998, Gollihugh went to prison after he sold several pounds of methamphetamine to an undercover DEA agent in Irving, TX. In 2018, Gollihugh was charged in Dallas with a drug dealing crime when he was caught with multiple drugs, hundreds of baggies, a digital scale, and over $2,000 in cash. In 2020, Gollihugh led Plano police on another high-speed chase when he fled from a drug-dealing incident and also struck a police vehicle. Ultimately, the evidence showed that Gollihugh had been prosecuted for at least 4 prior vehicle pursuits and 9 prior drug dealing crimes. This case was successfully prosecuted with the assistance of the Montgomery County Pct. 4 Constable’s Office, Splendora Police Department, Houston Police Department, and Homeland Security Investigations. Critical evidence of Gollihugh’s past crimes was provided by the Dallas Police Department, Plano Police Department, and the Drug Enforcement Administration.
Chief Prosecutor Taylor Vanegas:
“When you look up ‘career criminal’
in the encyclopedia, you’ll find a
picture of Shawn Gollihugh. It’s
fitting that this career criminal has
finally received a career sentence.”
Assistant District Attorney
Madison Schrock: “For years,
Shawn Gollihugh has been dealing
drugs and running from police all
across Texas, putting countless lives
in danger—but that ended when he
made the mistake of coming to
Montgomery County.”
District Attorney Brett Ligon: “Let
me be clear: not here. Not now. Not
ever. Our job is to keep Montgomery
County safe and do our part for the
State of Texas. If you endanger
Texans, we won’t rest until you’re
held to account.”
