Alamdar Hamdani U.S. Attorney | U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Texas
A Baytown resident, David Lee Garza, has been sentenced to 10 years in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei announced the sentencing 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 includes a prior conviction for aggravated assault with a firearm and a previous federal conviction for cocaine distribution.
"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 was coordinating meth transportation from the Rio Grande Valley to Houston. On January 25, he was stopped by law enforcement after retrieving items from a McAllen storage unit and found with six kilograms of meth at a purity level of 99%.
The investigation showed Garza stored drugs in the unit until they were ready for transport. He will remain in custody pending transfer 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.
