Zavala County, TX — Two men were arrested early Wednesday after a traffic stop led to the seizure of suspected methamphetamine and the discovery of an active Texas Department of Criminal Justice parole warrant, according to the Zavala County Sheriff’s Office.
At approximately 12:55 a.m. Aug. 5, Deputy A. Aguilar stopped a white Ford F-150 near North 4th Avenue and East Holland Street for a traffic violation.
The driver was identified as Jason C. Avila. Deputies determined Avila did not have a valid driver’s license and requested that the vehicle be impounded.
During the interaction, Deputy Aguilar noticed a suspicious bulge in Avila’s sock. According to the sheriff’s office, Avila handed over a clear plastic bag containing a crystal-like substance that had a preliminary field weight of approximately 2.3 grams of suspected methamphetamine.
Avila was taken into custody without incident.
Authorities said a male passenger initially provided deputies with a false name and date of birth. Crystal City Police Officer J. Elizondo identified the passenger as Michael Garcia, born Feb. 17, 1983.
A records check revealed Garcia had an active TDCJ Parole Division warrant for a parole violation related to Smuggling of Persons.
Avila faces a charge of Possession of a Controlled Substance, Penalty Group 1/1-B, between 1 and 4 grams, a state jail felony.
Garcia faces a Class A misdemeanor charge of Failure to Identify Fugitive/Giving False Information, along with the TDCJ parole violation warrant.
Both men were transported to the Zavala County Jail pending formal booking and a magistrate appearance.
The Zavala County Sheriff’s Office thanked the Crystal City Police Department for assisting during the incident.
