McALLEN, Texas — Four local residents have been sentenced to lengthy prison terms for their roles in a crack cocaine trafficking ring that resulted in the death of a 53-year-old man in November 2020.
According to court records, Gabriel Ortiz, 31, Francisco Ortiz, 53, Adbento Guerrero, 62, all of McAllen, and Alonzo Rolando Garza, 42, of Edinburg, had previously pleaded guilty to their crimes.
U.S. District Judge Randy Crane imposed the following sentences: Gabriel Ortiz, 144 months; Francisco Ortiz, 121 months; Adbento Guerrero, 30 months; and Alonzo Rolando Garza, 120 months.
As part of their sentences, the defendants will also serve five years of supervised release following their prison terms.
"Gabriel Ortiz and his co-conspirators, with their irresponsible and criminal behavior, directly caused the death of a human being," said U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani in a statement. "This case demonstrates the dangers of local drug dealing and narcotics usage. Thankfully, their lengthy prison sentences will ensure they can no longer traffic these deadly substances in our communities and bring such tragedy to our streets."
According to the investigation, the defendants trafficked cocaine in the McAllen and Edinburg areas from 2019 to 2020, purchasing and selling multi-kilogram quantities of cocaine, as well as smaller amounts of cocaine base, also known as "crack."
During the investigation, law enforcement seized over 10 kilograms of cocaine and 69 grams of cocaine base, with a combined estimated street value of approximately $260,000.
Additionally, law enforcement seized $294,520 in cash and assets as part of the case.
The investigation was conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation, in collaboration with the Edinburg Police Department, Hidalgo County Sheriff's Office, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Assistant U.S. Attorney James Sturgis prosecuted the case.
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Key Facts
- State: Texas
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Drug Trafficking
- Source: Official Source ↗
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