A 50-year sentence was handed down to Constantine Argyriou, 44, of Houston, for the 2017 shooting of a deputy constable, Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg's office reported Thursday.

Argyriou was convicted of aggravated assault of a public servant, a grave crime that carries a punishment range equivalent to murder; the sentence was delivered by the same jury, they heard the disturbing tale of the assault on Deputy Justin Gay of Precinct 4, who was responding to a family violence call and encountered Argyriou in a nearby grassy area which quickly escalated into a violent confrontation and shooting, as reported by Kim Ogg District Attorney's Office.

On the day in question, after being flagged down by witnesses, Deputy Gay found Argyriou who was reportedly involved in domestic disturbance and in the ensuing effort to apprehend him, Argyriou shot Gay multiple times in the legs, an attack that the prosecutor described as intentional and one that resulted in severe, lasting injuries, as noted in the DA's statement.

Despite the critical wounds and the subsequent chronic pain that Deputy Gay continues to endure, his resilience saw him back on his feet and resuming his duties four months post-incident, and during the trial, he spoke of the ordeal and the continuous pain that follows him, according to courtroom testimonies, the DA's office lauded the jury's decision as a strong message of support for the law enforcement community in Harris County, Assistant District Attorneys Sepi Zimmer and Bryan Honeycutt, issued a joint statement expressing pride in the jury's unequivocal stance against violence towards officers.

The case was investigated by the Harris County Sheriff’s Office, and now with the sentence pronounced, Argyriou will have to serve at least 25 years of his 50-year sentence before he is eligible for parole consideration by the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles.