Alamdar Hamdani U.S. Attorney | U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Texas
A San Juan resident, Michael Gallegos-Martinez, has been sentenced to federal prison for illegal firearm possession. U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei announced the sentencing following Gallegos-Martinez's guilty plea on December 3, 2024.
Chief U.S. District Judge Randy Crane sentenced Gallegos-Martinez to 41 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release. During the hearing, it was revealed that Gallegos-Martinez had previously served as a police officer and was convicted of felony possession of a controlled substance. Judge Crane noted the significant cash amount found in his vehicle along with narcotics.
The incident occurred on June 25, 2023, when Gallegos-Martinez failed to stop completely while driving a Cadillac CTS. Law enforcement conducted a traffic stop and noticed his nervous demeanor. Despite his claims of no firearms or narcotics being present, a K-9 alerted authorities who then discovered a Rossi Model 461 .357 caliber magnum revolver in a grocery bag hanging from the gear shift. Additionally, they found 25 grams of cocaine, Xanax pills, and approximately $25,000 in cash.
Gallegos-Martinez remains in custody awaiting transfer to the Bureau of Prisons.
The investigation was led by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with assistance from the Alamo Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jose A. Garcia is prosecuting this case.
This prosecution is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), an initiative by the Department of Justice aimed at reducing violent crime through collaboration among federal, state, and local entities to address community-specific crime issues.
