Edinburg Man Sentenced to Prison for Carjacking

U.S. Attorney’s Office, Southern District of Texas
September 16, 2013

MCALLEN, TX—Erasmo Garza, 29, of Edinburg, has been sentenced to prison for carjacking, announced United States Attorney Kenneth Magidson.

Chief U.S. District Judge Ricardo Hinojosa sentenced Garza earlier today for his role in the carjacking that occurred in August 2012. Judge Hinojosa sentenced Garza to 51 months in federal prison, to be followed by a two-year-term of supervised release. The judge further ordered Garza to pay restitution in the amount of $2947.49.

Garza pleaded guilty on March 5, 2013, to carjacking—admitting he forced a woman, who was in the parking lot of a local restaurant, out of her Mercedes Benz. Garza, who had been involved in a high speed chase with local police officers, crashed his vehicle while attempting to elude authorities. He then ran across Texas Highway 83 and into the parking lot of the Macaroni Grill. Moments later, he forcibly removed the victim from her Mercedes and fled from police. Garza was arrested several days afterwards without incident.

Garza has been in federal custody without bond since January 2013, where he will remain pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be designated in the near future..

This investigation leading to the charges against Garza was conducted by FBI and FBI Safe Street Task Force with assistance from the McAllen Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Leo J. Leo, III prosecuted the case.