A Crystal City man has been sentenced to 15 years in federal prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm. According to court documents, Mario Zavala, 39, was previously convicted in August 2013 for organized criminal activity connected to the Texas Mexican Mafia. Authorities arrested Zavala on November 6, 2024, on a warrant and found him with a loaded .40 caliber pistol at his residence. Investigators also determined that Zavala continued his association with the Texas Mexican Mafia and was involved in distributing cocaine and methamphetamine.
Zavala was indicted on December 4, 2024, for one count of felon in possession of a firearm. He pleaded guilty on March 5, 2025. U.S. District Judge Ernest Gonzalez presided over the proceedings.
U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons for the Western District of Texas announced the sentencing.
The investigation was conducted by ICE, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Zavala County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashley Ellis-Dotson prosecuted the case.
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