CORPUS CHRISTI, TX – A 50-year-old man from Orange has been sentenced to three years in federal prison for attempting to smuggle more than 23 kilograms of cocaine through a South Texas checkpoint, prosecutors announced.
Pablo Garcia Ortiz pleaded guilty on April 2 to possession with intent to distribute cocaine. U.S. District Judge David S. Morales sentenced him to 36 months in prison, followed by five years of supervised release. Ortiz was allowed to remain on bond and will voluntarily surrender to the Bureau of Prisons.
According to court records, on Nov. 1, 2024, Ortiz drove a Freightliner tractor to the Sarita Border Patrol checkpoint, where a K-9 alerted officers to the vehicle. Ortiz allegedly tried to mask the odor of narcotics by pouring urine inside the cab and later accused officers of planting evidence.
Agents ultimately discovered 22 bundles of cocaine weighing roughly 24 kilograms hidden inside a blue toolbox beneath the truck’s bed. The drugs, packaged in a trash bag and cardboard box, tested positive for cocaine. Investigators also found chili powder in the vehicle, commonly used in attempts to conceal narcotics from detection dogs.
A search of Ortiz’s phone uncovered evidence of an earlier cocaine smuggling attempt in September 2024, prosecutors said.
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration with assistance from U.S. Border Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorney Izaak Bruce prosecuted the case.
Key Points
- Pablo Garcia Ortiz sentenced to 36 months in prison for smuggling 24 kilograms of cocaine.
- Cocaine was found hidden in a toolbox at the Sarita Border Patrol checkpoint.
- Ortiz attempted to mask drug odor and previously engaged in a similar smuggling attempt.
The case highlights ongoing efforts to combat drug trafficking along South Texas corridors.