A McAllen man who allegedly threatened his own partner in a conspiracy to distribute drugs has been sentenced to almost two decades in prison.
A nearly 20-year prison sentence was handed down Wednesday for Jorge Arturo Gonzalez, 60, in connection with the cocaine scheme, a news release from the Southern District of Texas U.S. Attorney’s Office stated.
Gonzalez pleaded guilty Feb. 4, 2020, for his role in the scheme that was under investigation for nearly two years, records show.
U.S. District Judge Micaela Alvarez ordered Gonzalez to serve a 235-month sentence to be immediately followed by four years of supervised release.
At the hearing, the court heard additional testimony from witnesses who detailed how it was Gonzalez who was receiving, storing and distributing large quantities of cocaine at his residence for further distribution since early 2018.
At the time of his arrest, prosecutors alleged that Gonzalez had also threatened his co-conspirator.
The court heard how shots had been fired at the co-conspirator’s family home and that someone had killed the partner’s dog. In addition, a bullet with the co-conspirator’s name was left on his front porch.
The court also determined Gonzalez was responsible for distributing nearly 8 kilos of cocaine as part of the conspiracy.
Judge Alvarez enhanced the sentence, finding Gonzalez maintained a residence for the purpose of distributing controlled substances and possessed a firearm in connection with the offense.
She further found Gonzalez used credible threats of violence against his co-conspirator and obstructed justice, the release stated.
During a raid on Gonzalez’s residence in September 2019, agents discovered 3.46 kilograms of cocaine along with a firearm, ammunition, a drug scale, thousands of dollars in U.S. currency and multiple cellphones.
“There also were numerous videos on his cellphones depicting him in possession of a firearm and large quantities of cocaine and other controlled substances,” the release stated.
Gonzalez, who has been in federal custody since his arrest in 2019, remains in custody pending a transfer to a bureau of prisons facility.
