Pharr man sentenced to 7 years for operating drug stash house in McAllen

McALLEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — A Pharr man has been sentenced to federal prison for operating a drug stash house in north McAllen, the U.S. Attorney's Office announced.

On Dec. 20, 2023, 47-year-old Ivan Garza pleaded guilty to a charge of possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance.

On Feb. 23, 2021, authorities responded to a shooting at a residence located in north McAllen. At the scene, a preliminary investigation determined that armed, masked men had pulled Garza out of his black Chevy SUV as he was leaving the home.

According to a release from the U.S. Attorney's Office, others at the residence had opened fire from a balcony at the masked men as they drove away from the location in Garza's SUV.

Authorities spoke with Garza and the others who were staying at the residence. The release stated, a search warrant was executed and authorities seized three handguns, bundles of money totaling $268,000 and eight pounds of cocaine.

Surveillance footage from the home revealed that Garza and others moved several cocaine bundles just before the masked men attacked.

Additionally, the investigation revealed that the black SUV, which the masked men took from Garza, contained cocaine.

U.S. District Judge John D. Rainey ordered Garza to serve seven years in federal prison, followed by four years of supervised release.

"In handing down the sentence, Judge Rainey noted Garza was not merely present at a drug stash house," U.S. Attorney Almadar S. Hamdani said.

Garza is pending a transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility.