Community supervision complete for 2 assault cases against former Edinburg football player, lawsuit pending

EDINBURG, Texas (ValleyCentral) — A former Edinburg High football player, known among the community as the boy who tackled a referee in 2020 during a Texas playoff game, has completed his community supervision for two assault cases, the most recent involving biting.

In 2024, ValleyCentral reported that Emmanuel Duron would not be serving jail time for his public display on referee Alfredo “Fred” Gracia during a playoff Texas high school football game between Edinburg High and PSJA High.

Duron faced a charge of assault causing bodily injury after he tackled Gracia for ejecting him from a game on Dec. 3, 2020, for unsportsmanlike conduct.

(Edinburg CISD)

The now 23-year-old pleaded no contest to the charges he acquired as an 18 year old. Last year he was given a judgement of deferred adjudication, and was ordered to serve one year of community supervision.

As of May 13, Duron has completed his supervision for this case.

However, this is not the only case of assault against Duron.

In April of 2024, he was arrested for assaulting a romantic partner. Documents obtained by ValleyCentral revealed Duron allegedly bit the young woman on the neck during the assault.

He pleaded guilty to these charges and was once again granted deferred adjudication to serve community supervision.

Last month, on June 10, his period of probation ended.

While Duron has completed his time for his violent criminal charges, he must still serve community supervision for his drug charge that he plead guilty to.

In 2024, the court ordered Duron to four years of community supervision in this case with 11 days of jail credit.

Emmanuel Duron (Hidalgo County Jail)

Additionally, Duron still remains at the center of a lawsuit that was filed by Gracia in the 464th District Court in 2022. The lawsuit is filed against Duron and two other parties: the Rio Grande Texas Association of Sports Officials Football Chapter Division and Southwest Officials Association (Texas Association of Sports Officials, or TASO).

As previously reported by ValleyCentral, the lawsuit states that Duron stormed back onto the field, “brutally bowling over Gracia in front of the thousands of Rio Grande Valley residents in attendance.”

Gracia argues that he was left defenseless to the attack, despite representatives from TASO, UIL and the school district being present.

The lawsuit remains pending. Gracia failed to appear in court this May for a pre-trial hearing.

Gracia is seeking monetary relief in excess of $1 million in this lawsuit.