McALLEN, Texas (Border Report) — A man has pleaded guilty to driving a Jeep through the U.S. Border Patrol’s checkpoint in Falfurrias, Texas, with cocaine in the battery.
Elias Garcia, 34, pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute more than four kilograms of cocaine, according to U.S. Attorney Alamdar Hamdani.
Garcia tried to drive through the Falfurrias checkpoint on Oct. 4 but an X-ray of the SUV found an anomaly inside the vehicle’s battery compartment beneath the driver’s seat.
Law enforcement found four bundles of cocaine within the battery, Hamdani said Thursday.
The cocaine had a street value of over $200,000.
Garcia faces up to 40 years in federal prison and $5 million in fines.
A sentencing hearing is scheduled for Feb. 21 in Corpus Christi, Texas.
Sandra Sanchez can be reached at SSanchez@BorderReport.com.
Read: Read More