A 34-year-old McAllen man pleaded guilty Wednesday in federal court to a McAllen carjacking.
Fidel Garza Jr. was arrested in December 2021 after stealing an SUV and fleeing the scene. On Nov. 25, 2021, in the 1200 block of 28th Street, Garza rode in the passenger seat of a truck that “pulled in front of an SUV and stopped,” according to a news release from the U. S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas.
Once stopped, Garza got out of the truck and pointed a handgun at the driver of the SUV, a 67-year-old male, who was traveling with three minor passengers. He proceeded to demand they exit the vehicle.
Once they had complied, Garza got in the SUV and fled the scene. Authorities tracked him to a rural location in Edinburg where he was arrested and admitted his role in the robbery, according to the release.
Authorities were able to locate the stolen vehicle through a GPS application called Life360 that was on the phone of one of the minors in the vehicle. After obtaining consent to access the phone, police were able to find the last recorded location of the phone to be at a ranch in Edinburg.
McAllen police initially arrested Garza, who told them he and five other men believed the vehicle was transporting a load of cash, according to a probable cause affidavit, which also said Garza told investigators he participated in the alleged crime because he was about to lose his home to back taxes.
Garza is also facing a state charge of aggravated robbery along with the five other men who include 54-year-old Mission resident Fidel Garza Sr.; 22-year-old Edinburg resident Julio Garcia; 18-year-old Mission resident Fernando Garza de la Fuente; 18-year-old Edinburg resident Ruben Andrew Alexis Garcia; and 26-year-old McAllen resident Irvin Gallegos Garza.
All of the suspects, with the exception of Julio Garcia, have pleaded not guilty and are either being held in the Hidalgo County Adult Detention Center or have bailed out pending the resolution of their cases.
Julio Garcia failed to show up to his arraignment and is a fugitive.
Garza is scheduled to be sentenced in late April by U.S. District Judge Micaela Alvarez. He currently faces up to 15 years in prison.
He will remain in custody pending the hearing.
