A Texas influencer who tried to convince authorities his dog was responsible for his girlfriend’s death has been sentenced to decades behind bars in connection with her death.
Kaleb Mickens, known online as “Cash Cartier,” confessed to assaulting and drugging his girlfriend, Sheila Cuevas, who died from the attack on Oct. 8, 2023, the Tarrant County District Attorney’s Office announced Tuesday. He was sentenced to 40 years in prison after pleading guilty to first-degree aggravated assault family violence.
Mickens was also hit with another 20 years on a probation revocation for an aggravated assault causing serious bodily Injury, as well as 15 years for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon in Dallas County.
On the day of Cuevas’ death, 34-year-old Mickens called 911, telling dispatchers she was unresponsive after being attacked by his dog, Soldier.
“The dog was taken and euthanized by animal control but later determined by animal control to have nothing to do with Ms. Cuevas’ injuries and death,” the DA said, per the release.
Mickens, a prominent figure in the Multi-Level Market, IM Academy, used his wealth and status to manipulate men and women into joining his “training team,” promising them that participants regularly make thousands of dollars. Prosecutors said he relied on a his pristine online persona to hide “his very violent private persona.”
At his peak, Mickens was making around $20,000 a week, according to Fox 4, though his income had declined significantly by the time of Cuevas’ death.
“In a full courtroom Monday, several women delivered impact statements that included details of torment, torture, manipulation, and sexual assault,” the release read. “Each shared their message of survival and personal devastation that Ms. Cuevas did not survive.”