Victoria Drug bust blitz
Police make arrest, find drugs, money, weapons in Victoria
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Bright flashes and explosive noises disoriented the alleged drug dealer long enough for police to enter the home filled with loaded assault rifles.
Victoria police and Sheriff’s officers busted into the house at 2515 Putney St. at 8 p.m. Friday after throwing eight flash bang devices into the home, Police Chief Bruce Ure said. Officers overtook 43-year-old Marcus De Leon Garza and arrested him.
Police knew they needed the element of surprise to keep from entering a gun standoff with the Victoria man, known for his aggressive criminal history, Ure said. They found 12 loaded weapons – pistols, assault rifles and shotguns - with ammunition throughout the home.
“Quite frankly, it’s a little bit scary knowing they had that much out there,” Ure said about the gunpower.
Photos of the house revealed to police that the house had cameras around the outside angled to show cars pulling up from Bloomington Highway, Ure said. They found live-feed monitors inside.
“Those cameras were meant for us,” Ure said.
Before officers established a perimeter around the house, the police caravan drove past an unknown vehicle carrying one of the suspects they received a search warrant for just four hours earlier, Ure said.
A police car broke off and stopped the vehicle, taking down 40-year-old Kenneth L. Parsons at gunpoint, Ure said. Police were fortunate to stop him in a vehicle they weren’t looking for, he said.
Garza was alone in the house when police decided to act, but not before they called in air support from the Department of Public Safety in Houston. The helicopter provided air surveillance as well as more distraction for the suspect, flying as low as 150 feet off the ground, Ure said.
Because of the exploding noise and light from the flash bang devices, Garza was “spinning,” Ure said. Hundred-dollar bills were thrown and flying everywhere.
Ure believes Garza was counting money when they entered.
Investigators said they confiscated between $3,000 and $3,500.
“When I looked at the residence it reminded me of the ‘Scarface’ movie,” he said.
Police found several flat cakes of cocaine, each worth $450, drying inside. They found more chips of cocaine, a jar filled with marijuana and prescription pills throughout the house, in addition to drug paraphernalia, Ure said.
Police confiscated about another hundred items believed to be stolen, Ure said.
Ure won’t reveal how police knew about the drug-dealing and burglary operation on Putney Street, but said investigators worked starting 8 a.m. Friday to verify the information and obtain search warrants.
Garza and Parsons spent Friday night in Victoria County Jail, but local law enforcement contacted the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms to take over the case.
Federal authorities said they charged both men with felon in possession of a firearm and possession with intent to deliver cocaine. The men were transported to a federal facility in Rockport on Saturday.
Garza and his cousin Fernando De Leon Jr. were alleged to be involved in a shootout with Victoria police in January 1983 in the parking lot of Quality Inn on Houston Highway, that expanded into a pursuit by state narcotics officers. More than 50 rounds were collected from the officers’ vehicles, but no officers were injured.
Tara Bozick is a reporter for the Advocate. Contact her at 361-580-6504 or tbozick@vicad.com, or comment on this story at www.VictoriaAdvocate.com.
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Where do I get one of thos grenade launcher thingies?
July 22, 2008 at 2:22 p.m.I'm going to drive by (no, not that kind of drive-by) Tony's mansion on Putney St. and check out the bullet holes.
Who in the h are these guys kidding!??
The only assault was that on the intelligence of the readers.
July 22, 2008 at 7:40 a.m.With the application of the moniker "assault rifle" we have a term that is constantly employed to strike fear into the hearts of the ignorant, while demonizing those who respectfully and lawfully possess weapons.
July 22, 2008 at 6:46 a.m.Thanks alot Clinton.
We don't know what a non-assault rifle is, and we don't even know what the meaning of "is" is.
Is there a rifle that is incapable of assault?
July 21, 2008 at 9:45 p.m.Many assault rifles?
Shotguns, deer rifles, pistols I see. Is there another picture of more guns? Assault rifles not viewed.
July 21, 2008 at 9:38 p.m.PodunkTX, You pretty much hit it on the head. My post was sarcastic satire. Glad to see someone caught it.This raid seems to be blown out of proportion, just a drug raid and stolen property recovery operation. The paramilitary operation and media coverage would make you think Osama bin Laden himself was taken in on Putney St. The operation scared the hell out of the neighbors, helicopter, bright flashes, explosives, DPS, and squad cars blaring orders to the neighbors tend to do that. All for ONE fool. And local LEO contacted the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms to take over the case. This says a lot about our own local judicial system’s incompetence. This is just what Victoria needs, more out of town coverage. This should have been handled locally “FOR VICTORIA’S SAKE.”We know what happened last time Tyler was out of the picture. Let’s hope these guys don’t get the Ratcliff deal. These are two dangerous fools, TDC geriatric candidates caught up in another slow news story day in Victoria. Victoria is better off with them in jail and local LEO deserve credit for taking them in.Yes, I have a serious side.
July 21, 2008 at 3:43 p.m.SouthTexas I am stuck on that one too..someone care to explain
July 20, 2008 at 10:07 p.m.Did I miss something? Salmonella....where the heck did that come from? Were the drugs hidden inside raw chickens or something?
July 20, 2008 at 9:10 p.m.Sure hope VPD has FDA involved; need to test for salmonella you know. Hate to think some poor wretched soul contracts salmonella from this, heard it really messes you up.
I also heard that those gosh-darn Mexican tomatoes might not be the salmonella carrier culprits after all.
July 20, 2008 at 4:30 p.m.Is it just me or are there no new stories for today besides the ones under nation and obits?
July 20, 2008 at 3:51 p.m.local law enforcement contacted the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms to take over the case.
Good thing Tyler is out of the picture on this one.
July 20, 2008 at 3:35 p.m.He said what?
When I looked at the residence it reminded me of the Scarface movie
Come on, this is Putney St.
Better not say that in front of a grand jury.
July 20, 2008 at 1:01 p.m.Thank you goober 101 ... Just concerned ...That is all..and I too have a family member and worry about its safety because they are undercover at the VPD...I dont know why my family love doing it but we have several for the DEA and HPD interrogators..but they love doing it.. Its a job they say and someone has to do it.
July 20, 2008 at 11:59 a.m.Just to clarify the confusion amongst all posting to this article, the individuals you see in the picture were there only to help unload and process the massive amount of property. What you dont see is the undercover officers who are responsible for the bust are also there and at their request pictures were not taken of them. A good point is made about the officers safety in reference to their picture just being related to such a volatile warrant, however each officer had the ability to request pictures not be taken of them. I only know this information because a good friend of mine was involved in the drug bust
July 20, 2008 at 11:02 a.m.yes i was wrong ...you all are right.
July 20, 2008 at 10:16 a.m.yes I totally understand .. they are always in the public eye but their safety is the most important .. I gather you dont know that there are loons out there and the less you publicize yourself the better... things happen.. Its All about their safety..they are children of mothers and dads you know, that love them so...... Oh I forgot to mention that one of my cousins also works for VPD and is a narcotic agent.
July 20, 2008 at 3:24 a.m.I knew once I wrote that you would be there to comment..... Sorry I miss wrote that...but you are like a cat ready to prance on folks for their comments .. and I thought I could out beat you.. but I gather not.. you are up and raring to go.. once again..
July 20, 2008 at 3:19 a.m.Great Job VPD! and all involved... but I might of hope they would of been smart enough not of taken the pictures of those brave souls..and plastered them on the front page of the Victoria Advocate.. kinda like HOLD the drugs up and smile please... turn you head alittle to the left .. that's it... Hold ..(click)....You could of just done the drugs and the hands of the officers...I know you were excited to get the story..but come on you are a proffessional .. you need to think also as you snap the picture....what's all involved...just a suggestion though.....enjoyed the story though.. once again proud of you trying to keep it off the streets..
July 20, 2008 at 2:43 a.m.