A federal court ordered Scott Garza, a 35-year-old resident of Alice, Texas, to serve 265 months in prison on Apr. 2 for possessing methamphetamine with intent to distribute after receiving the drug concealed in clay bricks from Mexico, according to Acting U.S. Attorney John G.E. Marck.
The case highlights ongoing efforts by federal authorities to disrupt international drug trafficking operations using commercial carrier services and creative concealment methods.
Garza pleaded guilty on Dec. 30, 2025. U.S. District Judge David S. Morales also imposed five years of supervised release following his prison term. The sentencing hearing included evidence about the delivery of the drugs to an abandoned house and a firearm found in Garza’s possession at the time of arrest. Judge Morales said that although Garza may have previously been a low-level dealer, he escalated his criminal activity by participating in this offense.
Authorities reported that on Aug. 7, 2025, law enforcement intercepted an international package sent from Mexico and destined for Alice, Texas. An X-ray scan and K-9 alert led officers to discover ten clay bricks containing meth mixed within the material inside the package at an abandoned house address linked to Garza.
Investigators found nearly eight kilograms of methamphetamine with an estimated street value of $160,000 inside the shipment. A search at Garza’s residence uncovered additional drugs—including cocaine, Xanax tablets, marijuana and synthetic marijuana—and three firearms.
Garza was taken into custody after sentencing and will remain detained pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility yet to be determined.
Customs and Border Protection and Immigration and Customs Enforcement – Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation with assistance from Texas Department of Public Safety and Jim Wells County Sheriff’s Office; Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashley A. Pruitt prosecuted the case.
The U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Texas has included notable figures such as Alamdar Hamdani and Ryan Patrick among its former leaders according to its official history page. The office operates locations across Houston, Galveston, Corpus Christi (where this case was handled), Laredo, McAllen and Brownsville as described on its official website. It is part of the U.S Department of Justice under supervision by the Attorney General according to official information.
More than 200 attorneys work for this office covering over nine million people across forty-three counties as detailed online. Its main responsibilities include prosecuting federal crimes like those involving narcotics distribution as well as handling civil cases for government agencies according to its website. Leadership changes have seen Alamdar Hamdani serve as U.S Attorney from 2022 through early 2025 as noted officially.
