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A stash house operator in North McAllen who was arrested after local police responded to an exchange of gunfire was sentenced to more than seven years in a federal prison Thursday, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said in a news release.
Ivan Garza, who pleaded guilty on Dec. 20, 2023, was ordered to serve 87 months followed by four years of supervised release by U.S. District Judge John D. Rainey, for his role in running a stash house in North McAllen.
McAllen police assisted the FBI in the investigation.
Garza, a 47-year-old Pharr resident, was arrested on Feb. 23, 2021 after police responded to gunfire at a residence located in a North McAllen neighborhood.
At the scene, authorities discovered that Garza had been pulled out of his black Chevrolet SUV by masked men as he attempted to leave the residence, authorities said in the release.
Other people at the residence opened fire from a balcony at the masked men as they fled the scene in the SUV, according to the release.
“In response, authorities made contact with Garza and other individuals staying at the residence,” the U.S. Attorney’s Office said in the release. “Following a search warrant, authorities seized three handguns, bundles of money totaling $268,000 and 4 kilograms (about 9 pounds) of cocaine.”
The U.S. Attorney’s Office went on to state in the release that the residence had cameras which provided video showing Garza “and others” moving the cocaine bundles before “the masked men struck.”
Authorities also found cocaine contained within the SUV.
Garza will remain incarcerated until he’s transferred to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility, a location of which has yet to be decided.
