A McAllen man pleaded guilty to unlawfully being a felon in possession of a firearm, according to U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.

Hamdani said 44-year-old Michael Gallegos-Martinez was arrested after a traffic stop revealed he was in possession of a firearm and narcotics.

On June 25, 2023, Gallegos-Martinez was driving a Cadillac CTS when he failed to come to a complete stop. Authorities conducted a traffic stop and noticed Gallegos-Martinez appeared nervous; he claimed there were no firearms or narcotics inside the vehicle, according to Hamdani.

Authorities conducted a search with a K-9 unit and were alerted to a .357 caliber magnum revolver in a grocery bag handing from the gear shift, according to Hamdani. They also discovered 25 grams of cocaine, a bottle of Xanax pills and $25,000 in cash.

Hamdani said the investigation revealed Gallegos-Martinez is a former police officer before being convicted for possession of a controlled substance. As a felon, he is prohibited from possessing firearms.

A district judge accepted Galleos-Martinez's plea and has scheduled his sentencing for February 2 and faces up to 15 years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 fine.

He will remain in custody pending sentencing.