Erik Cantu sentenced for breaking into womans apartment, avoids jail time

A judge sentenced Erik Cantu after he was accused of breaking into his ex-girlfriend's residence and stealing her iPad.

Cantu, 21, received two years of deferred adjudication Monday on a charge of burglary of a habitation. He had been scheduled to stand trial but accepted a plea agreement shortly before jury selection was set to begin.

Court records show that a grand jury indicted Cantu on June 1. 

According to an arrest warrant, Cantu broke into his ex-girlfriend’s home in December and stole her iPad.

The woman contacted police after receiving alerts indicating the device was moving away from her apartment and toward Cantu’s residence, the warrant states. Investigators also obtained security camera footage of the incident.

As part of the plea agreement, Cantu must wear a GPS monitor, complete 300 hours of community service, remain at least 1,000 feet away from his ex-girlfriend and refrain from driving for two years.

In April, Cantu was sentenced to two years in prison for violating the terms of his probation in two felony evading-arrest cases. Court records show he was released May 22 and placed on parole.

READ MORE: Here is what led up to Erik Cantu being sentenced to two years in prison

Cantu was given a second chance by state District Judge Stephanie Boyd on Nov. 18, 2025, after prosecutors accused him of violating the terms of his probation by assaulting a woman at a house party. He was subsequently charged with misdemeanor assault.

In late April, County Court Judge Mary Roman sentenced Cantu to time served in the assault case.

Cantu is most known for being shot by former San Antonio police officer James Brennand, who was fired by SAPD and is awaiting trial after being charged with aggravated assault by a public servant. 

Brennand is accused of firing at least 10 rounds at Cantu as he sat in his car at a McDonald's parking lot. After the shooting, Cantu was rushed to a hospital, where he spent weeks on a ventilator.

Since the shooting, Cantu has been arrested six times and has been accused of violating his probation conditions three times. 

Here is a full timeline of the events. 

June 28, 2023: Cantu and a teenage girl are arrested and accused of stealing a car charger, an air freshener and other items from a Walmart Supercenter on the North Side. 

Nov. 11, 2023: Cantu is arrested and accused of evading a San Antonio police bicycle patrol officer who attempted to stop him for playing loud music in his vehicle.

Dec. 9, 2023: Cantu is arrested and accused of evading arrest with a vehicle in Universal City after he failed to stop while an officer attempted to pull him over for speeding. 

Sept. 9, 2024: Judge Stephanie Boyd sentences Cantu to seven years’ probation for the two felony evading arrest charges and drops the two misdemeanor charges in a plea agreement. His driver's license is suspended for two years. 

Nov. 7, 2024: Cantu is arrested and accused of violating the conditions of his parole related to the two felony evading-arrest charges. He is accused of skipping his court-ordered drug screenings and driving a vehicle. 

Sept. 20, 2025: Cantu is arrested and charged with misdemeanor assault in a case stemming from September 2024. He was accused of hitting, pushing and kicking a woman at a party. She was bleeding, had trouble breathing, and had to be taken to an area hospital, according to an arrest affidavit.

Nov. 18, 2025: Boyd allows Cantu to continue with his probation after prosecutors said he violated his probation by being accused of assaulting a woman. 

Dec. 5, 2025: Cantu is arrested and charged with burglary of a habitation after he is accused of breaking into his ex-girlfriend’s apartment and stealing her iPad.

April 1, 2026: Boyd sentences Cantu to two years in prison for violating his parole conditions.

April 20, 2026: County Court Judge Mary Roman sentences Cantu to time served for the misdemeanor assault charge.

May 22, 2026: Cantu is released from prison and is placed on parole. 

June 8, 2026: Boyd sentences Cantu to two years of deferred adjudication for the burglary of a habitation charge.