A Texas influencer with a violent history against women was sentenced to 75 years in prison for fatally attacking his girlfriend — a vicious crime he blamed on his dog, who was euthanized days later.
Kaleb Mickens, known online as “Cash Cartier,” admitted to assaulting and drugging his girlfriend, Sheila Cuevas, resulting in her Oct. 8, 2023, death, the Tarrant County District Attorney’s Office announced Tuesday.
The 34-year-old landed four decades behind bars after pleading guilty to first-degree aggravated assault family violence.
Mickens was also handed 20 years on a probation revocation for an aggravated assault causing serious bodily injury and 15 years for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon in Dallas County.
Mickens had called 911 on Oct. 8, saying Cuevas was no longer breathing after his boxer, Soldier, had allegedly attacked her, prosecutors said.
Cuevas was found in her room with several broken ribs and puncture wounds, Fox 4 News reported.
The pooch was taken away by animal control and euthanized 11 days after the attack.
Officials later found no evidence that Soldier was responsible for the injuries Cuevas sustained before her death, and Mickens was arrested under suspicion that he had drugged and beaten his then-girlfriend, resulting in her death, according to the outlet.
Mickens, who as “Cash Cartier” boasts nearly 100,000 Instagram followers, disturbingly lists the death dates of Cuevas, Soldier and a third dog in his bio with the caption, “Goodbye my sweet family.”
He had perpetrated the additional assaults against several other women with whom he had relationships, a note prosecutors used against him before the plea deal was made.
Several of Mickens’ victims made impact statements to a full courtroom before his sentencing.
The unidentified women detailed the torment, torture, manipulation and sexual assault that they suffered at his hands, the DA’s office wrote.
Cuevas’ brother addressed the court, saying nothing could bring his sister back.
“There can be no justice that brings Sheila back, but there can be outcomes, and there can be accountability, and you deserve this,” her sibling charged.
“Cash Cartier” was a prominent figure in the fraudulent multi-level marketing group IM Academy that had raked in over $1.2 billion from victims in it’s venture scam, according to the Federal Trade Commission.
“He lured young people into joining his training team with the promise of making thousands of dollars,” prosecutors said. “He used his perceived wealth and status to manipulate men and women with threats and promises while hiding his very violent private persona.”
Mickens had been making $20,000 a week at one point during the ruse, but his income was noticeably declining when Cuevas was killed, Fox 4 reported.
“Thank you to Detective Tracy Dixon and the Arlington Police Department as well as the many prior victims from across the country who came forward to finally bring Kaleb Mickens to justice,” the DA’s Office said.