A man is sentenced to 20 years in prison for meth because of his lengthy criminal record

NACOGDOCHES, Texas (KTRE) – A Nacogdoches man will spend the next two decades in prison, according to the county’s assistant district attorney.

According to ADA Amy Wren, Jonathan Roldan Garcia. 29 was stopped by Nacogdoches police officers around midnight on May 25, 2023. He tried to walk away from his vehicle and locked his keys inside, Wren said, but officers could clearly see open containers of alcohol in his vehicle. During a search to determine the possible cause, officers found various folded pills of different shapes and sizes in a five dollar bill in the cup holder. Laboratory tests confirmed the pills contained just over a gram of methamphetamine, Wren said.

On October 8, 2024, after presenting evidence against Garcia, a jury returned a guilty verdict. Because of his 17 prior felony and misdemeanor convictions, the Texas Department of Criminal Justice jury handed down a sentence of 20 years and a $10,000 fine. The sentence reflects the maximum penalty available.

Although Garcia’s criminal history was not violent, it did reflect crimes against the property of others, Wren said. The victims of these crimes suffered financial and sometimes property losses that can never be replaced. Wren said Garcia refused to do so because he was given numerous opportunities to change his behavior, which led to the jury’s verdict.

Wren said she was assisted by Texas DPS and the Nacogdoches Police Department in pursuing the case against Garcia.

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