A Baytown resident, David Lee Garza, has been sentenced to 120 months in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. This was announced by U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei following Garza's guilty plea on May 31, 2024.
Chief U.S. District Judge Randy Crane imposed the sentence, which includes five years of supervised release after imprisonment. The court took into account Garza's criminal history, which features a prior conviction for aggravated assault involving a firearm and a previous federal conviction for distributing cocaine.
"Methamphetamine has devastated cities and towns across the country, and drug dealers that seek to profit off that destruction deserve to be held accountable," stated Ganjei. "Those that traffic this drug in our communities can expect a significant sentence, particularly those who are repeat offenders."
In January 2024, authorities discovered Garza's involvement in transporting meth from the Rio Grande Valley to Houston. On January 25, law enforcement stopped his vehicle after he left a storage unit in McAllen and found six kilograms of meth with a purity level of 99%.
The investigation showed that Garza had been storing drugs in the unit until they were ready for transport. He will remain in custody until transferred to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility.
The Drug Enforcement Administration led the investigation with help from the Texas Department of Public Safety. Assistant U.S. Attorney Laura Garcia prosecuted the case.