Eleno Silva v. the State of Texas
CourtTexas Court of Appeals, 11th District (Eastland)
Date FiledAugust 13, 2026
Docket11-25-00091-CR
StatusPublished
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Full Opinion
Opinion filed August 13, 2026
In The
Eleventh Court of Appeals
__________
No. 11-25-00091-CR
__________
ELENO SILVA, Appellant
V.
THE STATE OF TEXAS, Appellee
On Appeal from the 350th District Court
Taylor County, Texas
Trial Court Cause No. 15561-D
MEMORANDUM OPINION
Appellant, Eleno Silva, was charged with sexual assault of a child, a second-
degree felony. See TEX. PENAL CODE ANN. § 22.011(a)(2) (West 2026). Appellant
entered an open plea of “guilty” to the offense as indicted. Following a hearing on
punishment, the trial court assessed Appellant’s punishment at eight years’
confinement in the Institutional Division of the Texas Department of Criminal
Justice.
Appellant’s court-appointed counsel has filed a motion to withdraw in this
court. The motion is supported by a brief in which counsel professionally and
conscientiously examines the record and applicable law and concludes that there are
no arguable issues to present on appeal. See Anders v. California, 386 U.S. 738, 744
(1967); In re Schulman, 252 S.W.3d 403, 406–09 (Tex. Crim. App. 2008). Counsel
has provided Appellant with a copy of the brief, a copy of the motion to withdraw,
an explanatory letter, and a motion for access to the clerk’s record and reporter’s
record. Counsel also advised Appellant of his right to object to counsel’s motion to
withdraw, to review the record and file a pro se response to counsel’s Anders brief,
and to file a petition for discretionary review. See TEX. R. APP. P. 6.5, 68. As such,
court-appointed counsel has complied with the requirements of Anders, 386 U.S. at
742–44; Kelly v. State, 436 S.W.3d 313 (Tex. Crim. App. 2014); Schulman, 252
S.W.3d at 409–12; and Stafford v. State, 813 S.W.2d 503 (Tex. Crim. App. 1991).
Appellant has not filed a pro se response to counsel’s Anders brief. Following
the procedures outlined in Anders and Schulman, we have independently reviewed
the record and likewise conclude that the appeal is without merit. See Anders, 386
U.S. at 744; Bledsoe v. State, 178 S.W.3d 824, 826–27 (Tex. Crim. App. 2005). We
observe that prior to entering an open plea, Appellant received written and oral
admonishments pursuant to Article 26.13. TEX. CODE CRIM. PROC. ANN. art. 26.13
(West Supp. 2025). Although the court did not admonish Appellant regarding the
applicable sex offender registration requirements under Chapter 62, see id.
art. 26.13(a)(5), (h), such failure is harmless, and viewing the record as a whole, no
substantial right involving Appellant’s decision to plead guilty was affected. See
Anderson v. State, 182 S.W.3d 914, 921 (Tex. Crim. App. 2006) (citing TEX. R.
APP. P. 44.2(b)); see also Ex parte Afolabi, No. 11-22-00342-CR, 2024 WL
2061266, at *11 (Tex. App.—Eastland May 9, 2024, no pet.) (mem. op., not
designated for publication) (“[A] trial court’s failure to comply with the
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Article 26.13(a)(5) sex offender registration requirement admonishment does not
provide a basis for the defendant to set aside his plea of guilt.”).
Accordingly, we agree with counsel that no meritorious or arguable grounds
for appeal exist. 1 See Garner v. State, 300 S.W.3d 763, 767 (Tex. Crim. App. 2009)
(“[C]ourts of appeals must decide whether the Anders appeal and subsequent pro se
brief raise any meritorious ‘arguable grounds’ for review.”).
We grant counsel’s motion to withdraw, and we affirm the judgment of the
trial court.
JOHN M. BAILEY
CHIEF JUSTICE
August 13, 2026
Do not publish. See TEX. R. APP. P. 47.2(b).
Panel consists of: Bailey, C.J.,
Trotter, J., and Williams, J.
We note that Appellant has the right to file a petition for discretionary review in the Texas Court
1
of Criminal Appeals pursuant to Rule 68 of the Texas Rules of Appellate Procedure. See TEX. R. APP. P. 68.
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