Valley drug dealers convicted of supplying cocaine in fatal overdose

Four Rio Grande Valley men have been convicted in federal court of cocaine trafficking that resulted in the death of a 53-year-old man, according to U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.

Gabriel Ortiz, 31, Francisco Ortiz, 53, and Adbento Guerrero, 62, all of McAllen; and Alonzo Rolando Garza, 42, of Edinburgh, had all previously pleaded guilty.

Hamdani said Gabriel was sentenced to 12 years in prison and Francisco was sentenced to 10 years in prison. Guerrero was sentenced to two and a half years in prison and Garza to 10 years.

All four men must serve five years of supervised release following their sentences.

Hamdani said the investigation revealed that in 2019 and 2020, the four men were trafficking cocaine in the McAllen and Edinburgh areas.

The co-conspirators would buy and sell several kilograms of cocaine as well as smaller quantities of cocaine base, also known as “crack.”

Hamdani said that in November 2020, Gabriel sold three grams of cocaine to a 53-year-old man who died after using the drug.

Law enforcement seized a total of 10 kilograms of cocaine and 69 grams of cocaine base. The street value of the drugs was $260,000. Law enforcement also seized $294,520 in cash and property in connection with the case.