CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas - A 34-year-old man residing in Pharr has been ordered to federal prison following his conviction of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, announced U.S. Attorney Kenneth Magidson. Gerardo Garza-Montenegro pleaded guilty April 20, 2015.
Today, Senior U.S. District Judge John D. Rainey ordered he serve 108 months imprisonment to be followed by four years of supervised release.
In July 2014, Garza-Montenegro approached the Border Patrol checkpoint near Falfurrias driving a Cadillac Deville, at which time a service canine alerted to the presence of narcotics in the vehicle. He was referred to secondary inspection where Border Patrol agents discovered more than five kilograms of methamphetamine concealed within two fire extinguishers in his vehicle’s trunk. Laboratory analysis determined the methamphetamine had a purity level of more than 99%.
In federal custody since his arrest, Garza-Montenegro will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be designated in the near future.
The charge stems from an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations and U.S. Border Patrol. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lance Watt.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
