Paul Matthew Garza, 35, of Shreveport, is headed to federal prison for more than 11 years after being caught with nearly half a kilo of methamphetamine and a loaded handgun during a routine traffic stop near the Louisiana-Texas border. The September 2016 guilty plea confirms the bust occurred on May 25, 2016, in Caddo Parish, when law enforcement pulled over Garza’s vehicle on suspicion of a traffic violation — a stop that quickly turned into a major drug and weapons haul.
Inside the car, officers discovered 408 grams of methamphetamine and 142.73 grams of Xanax bars — enough to supply a small criminal network for months. That was just the beginning. A search of Garza’s Shreveport home uncovered more meth, additional Xanax, a Ruger LCP .380 semi-automatic handgun, digital scales used for precise drug weighing, and $17,400 in cash — likely proceeds from prior drug sales.
Garza pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. Both charges carry steep federal penalties, especially when combined. On Thursday, U.S. District Judge S. Maurice Hicks Jr. handed down a total sentence of 135 months in prison — the equivalent of 11 years and 3 months behind bars.
The firearm charge was particularly damning. Federal law mandates a minimum five-year sentence for possessing a gun in connection with drug trafficking — a sentence that must run consecutively to any other drug-related term. That turned what might have been a shorter sentence into a decade-plus prison stay.
The investigation was led by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Caddo Parish Sheriff’s Office, agencies that continue to target high-volume drug distribution in the region. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tennille M. Gilreath prosecuted the case, emphasizing the danger posed by combining illegal drugs and loaded firearms in residential areas.
Upon release, Garza will face five years of supervised probation — a period during which any misstep could land him back behind bars. For now, the Shreveport drug dealer’s operation is shut down, and the streets are a little safer, one takedown at a time.
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Key Facts
- State: Louisiana
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Weapons
- Source: Official Source ↗
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