DEL RIO, Texas – A Crystal City man with ties to the Texas Mexican Mafia has been sentenced to 180 months in federal prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm.

According to court documents, Mario Zavala, 39, was previously convicted in August 2013 for organized criminal activity connected to the Texas Mexican Mafia. On November 6, 2024, he was arrested on a warrant and admitted to possessing a loaded .40 caliber pistol inside his residence. Investigators also determined Zavala had maintained his gang affiliations and continued distributing narcotics, including cocaine and methamphetamine.

Zavala was indicted on December 4, 2024, for one count of felon in possession of a firearm. He pleaded guilty on March 5, 2025. On sentencing, U.S. District Judge Ernest Gonzalez handed down a 180-month prison term.

The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons for the Western District of Texas.

The case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and the Zavala County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashley Ellis-Dotson prosecuted.