Cedar Park man wants harsher penalty for those who file false accusations

CEDAR PARK, Texas (FOX 7 Austin) - A woman who accused her ex-boyfriend of breaking into her Bell County home and assaulting her has been charged with filing a false report. 19-year-old Faith Cox turned herself into Temple police Tuesday, after a warrant was issued for her arrest.

“As soon as I saw her mugshot, I broke down crying. It was a wave of emotions that hit me,” said C.J. Precopia, who had been accused by Cox in 2017. “I couldn't really contain myself cause of the pure joy of her finally being brought to justice,” C.J. added.  

In September of 2017, Cox told police C.J. broke into her house, punched her in the face and carved an “x” on her chest with a box cutter. The night she claimed the crime happened in Temple, was the same night C.J.’s mom, Erin Precopia, took a photo with C.J. at the Renaissance Austin Hotel. 

“I'm very thankful that I was there with my mom, that she took a selfie of us,” said C.J.  

C.J. was thrown in jail with a $150,000 bond, facing three felony charges and possibly a life sentence. His parents took out loans to bail him out.

Even with a picture perfect alibi, it took nine months before charges against C.J. were dropped. “If they did their job and investigated the case, just asking me a question, ‘Where were you September 20?’ I would've been like, ‘I was with my mom at the Austin Renaissance Hotel. You want proof? Here's a picture.’ But they didn't do that,” C.J. said.  

“All the police resources, and time and money, could've been saved… and the heartache,” said Erin.  

With C.J.'s charges dismissed in June, the case was sent to Bell County Attorney Jim Nichols' office on November 16. Ultimately, Nichols decided Cox should be charged for filing a false report, a Class B Misdemeanor. She was booked into jail Tuesday, with a $2,000 bond. 

Although happy for justice, C.J. is still shaken from his experience. 

“It's a struggle to go about your daily life knowing that anything could happen, just from somebody saying anything, can just ruin your life in an instant. So that's why the law needs to be changed to make it a felony,” C.J. said in reference to Cox’s charges.   

“I think if you make the punishment harsher for those who falsely accuse, then not many people would falsely accuse,” said Erin.

C.J. and his mother hope his story will encourage lawmakers to increase the penalty for making a false report and they're planning to take their message all the way to the State Capitol. 

Cox bonded out of jail the same day she was booked in.

The Bell County Attorney said her court date has not been set yet. 

Meanwhile, C.J. is still working to clear his name.