In Alpine on April 13, a Fort Stockton man pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm and possessing methamphetamine.

According to court records, on Dec. 5, 2021, Tristian William Zly, 27, was observed in a heated argument with a female inside his vehicle while parked outside a residence in Fort Stockton. Officers were called to de-escalate the situation. After confronting Zly, officers observed a 30-round firearm magazine sticking out of Zly’s pocket. On further search of the vehicle, officers found a 9mm firearm and a plastic bag containing 299.3 grams of pure methamphetamine.

Further investigation revealed that Zly had a previous felony conviction and possessed the firearm illegally.

Zly pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm during a drug trafficking crime. A sentencing date has not been scheduled. Zly faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison on the narcotics charge and a five-year mandatory minimum sentence on the firearm charge. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.

U.S. Attorney Ashley C. Hoff of the Western District of Texas and Drug Enforcement Administration Special Agent in Charge Greg Millard, El Paso Division, made the announcement.

The Alpine DEA, with assistance from the Texas Department of Public Safety and the Pecos County Sheriff’s Office, is investigating the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lance L. Kennedy and Matthew H. Ellis are prosecuting the case.

This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts.