ALICE, Texas — A 35-year-old Alice resident will spend more than two decades behind bars for his role in a drug trafficking operation that used clay bricks to smuggle methamphetamine from Mexico, federal prosecutors announced.
Scott Garza was sentenced to 265 months (22 years and one month) in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, after pleading guilty to knowingly and intentionally possessing methamphetamine with intent to distribute.
U.S. District Judge David S. Morales handed down the sentence following a hearing where evidence revealed the scope of Garza's criminal activity, including his use of an abandoned property as a drug delivery location and his possession of firearms during the commission of the offense. During sentencing, Judge Morales observed that while Garza may have previously operated as a low-level dealer, his participation in the international smuggling operation represented a significant escalation in his criminal activities.
The case began on August 7, 2025, when law enforcement identified a suspicious international package shipped from Mexico to an address in Alice. X-ray examination and a K-9 alert led to the discovery of 10 clay bricks, each containing methamphetamine mixed within the clay material. The investigation revealed that Garza had traveled to an abandoned, boarded-up house to retrieve the package, which he later opened at his residence. The drugs had a total weight of nearly eight kilograms with an estimated street value of $160,000.
A subsequent search of Garza's residence uncovered a significant drug operation, with authorities seizing additional quantities of cocaine, methamphetamine, Xanax tablets, marijuana and synthetic marijuana, as well as three firearms. The discovery of multiple drug types and weapons demonstrated the extent of Garza's trafficking activities beyond the Mexico-sourced methamphetamine shipment.
The case resulted from a collaborative investigation involving U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Homeland Security Investigations, the Texas Department of Public Safety, and the Jim Wells County Sheriff's Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashley A. Pruitt prosecuted the case under the direction of Acting U.S. Attorney John G.E. Marck.
Garza, who had been released on bond during the legal proceedings, was taken into custody immediately following his sentencing. He will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined.
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