Angelica “Meli” Carrión Powers, 50, serves as chief of the Bexar County District Attorney’s Family Violence Division. She previously worked as an assistant attorney for the City of San Antonio and as a regional attorney for the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services.
Hear from the candidate
1. Please tell voters about yourself.
I am the daughter of two educators, born and raised in Port Lavaca, Texas, and have lived in Bexar County for 27 years. I am a graduate of The University of Texas at Austin and St. Mary’s University School of Law and reside in San Antonio with my family.
I have dedicated my career to public service, focusing on child and family protection. I currently serve as Division Chief of the Family Violence Division at the Bexar County District Attorney’s Office (2019–present), where I began as an intern in 1999 and served as an Assistant Criminal District Attorney from 2002–2017. I also served as Assistant City Attorney for San Antonio and as Regional Attorney for the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services, handling cases involving child abuse and neglect.
My professional experience, deep roots in Bexar County, and personal experience as a survivor of domestic violence and sexual assault have shaped my commitment to justice, public safety, and protecting families.
2. Tell us about how long you’ve been practicing law, areas of expertise and prosecutorial experience, if any.
For 25 years, I have devoted my career to prosecuting crime and protecting our community, serving in the Bexar County District Attorney’s Office from Intern to Division Chief of the Family Violence Division. I am the only candidate with a career dedicated entirely to prosecution and public safety.
As a misdemeanor prosecutor, I handled thousands of DWI, assault, and drug cases. As a felony prosecutor, I worked complex cases including capital murder, domestic violence, and child abuse, collaborating closely with victims and law enforcement. My extensive jury trial experience includes some of the most serious cases—capital murder, child abuse, and family violence. I am trauma-informed certified.
In 2019, I was appointed to lead the Family Violence Division, overseeing more than 100 prosecutors and staff. I helped eliminate a significant backlog, improved victim communication, and guided the division through the pandemic.
I serve on the boards of ChildSafe and Family Violence Prevention Services. My vision as District Attorney is grounded in experience, accountability, and preventing future violence.
3. This office has been under stress in many ways, in terms of understaffing, case backlog and crimes committed by repeat offenders. Talk about your plans to make change in the first 100 days.
The case backlog refers to cases awaiting prosecutorial review, some going back multiple administrations. When I was appointed Chief in 2019, the Family Violence Division inherited thousands of pending cases from the previous administration. In less than a year, with the dedication of our prosecutors, we eliminated that backlog.
Recently, a national shortage of prosecutors has created similar challenges, with heavy
workloads and limited resources. To address this, the District Attorney’s Office implemented programs like the High Risk Intake program, which has already reduced the felony backlog by more than 40%.
In Family Violence, after filling long-vacant positions, we have seen a reduction in outstanding cases in less than 90 days. While progress is being made, more work remains. The long-term solution requires securing county funding to ensure competitive salaries and retain experienced prosecutors. With the right
resources, experienced teams, and continued innovation, cases will move efficiently, victims will be supported, and public safety will be strengthened.
We are on the right track, but there is still more to do to ensure timely justice for victims and accountability for offenders.
4. Talk about your philosophical approach to balancing the public’s desire to see all types of crimes prosecuted with the rehabilitative justice policies that provide a path forward for some offenders?
A just criminal justice system must protect public safety, treat people fairly, and prevent future violence. Public safety comes first. The District Attorney’s job is to keep communities safe by prioritizing violent crime, repeat offenders, and those who pose a real threat—while handling cases ethically, thoroughly, and efficiently.
Justice must also be fair. Outcomes should never depend on wealth, race, or economic status. Accountability is essential, but it may look different in each case. When incarceration is necessary to protect the safety of victims and the community, it should be pursued decisively. As a family violence and child abuse prosecutor, handling the most egregious of cases, incarceration is sometimes the only way to maintain safety. However, on some lower level, non-violent offenses, when mental illness or substance use drives criminal behavior, addressing root causes through diversion and treatment programs can reduce reoffending, help individuals thrive, and prevent future violence. Justice is not one-size-fits-all. Experience and knowledge must be used to make effective prosecutorial decisions.
Victims must remain at the center, treated with dignity, clear communication, and
trauma-informed practices. True justice delivers safety, fairness, and accountability.
5. In a crowded field of candidates, what differentiates you from the others running?
What sets me apart is experience, leadership, and a proven understanding of this office from the inside out. I’ve not only tried serious cases, I’ve also managed large teams, made daily life altering decisions, and been accountable for outcomes. Having served under 3 elected district attorneys, I’ve seen firsthand what works and what doesn’t. That means I don’t need a learning curve, and I don’t need to waste time learning the system while putting victims or public safety at risk.
I believe in fairness and smart justice, it must be thoughtful and focused on real results. Victims deserve accountability, and the community deserves a DA who understands both the courtroom, prosecuting cases, and the complexity of running this office.
That combination of unmatched, deep institutional knowledge, real leadership experience, and practical judgment is what sets me apart—and why I’m ready to lead on day one.
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