California gang member pleads guilty to drug, firearm charges

ALPINE, Texas (KMID/KPEJ)- A California man pleaded guilty to charges related to drug trafficking in a federal court in Alpine on Wednesday.

According to court documents, Adrian Arturo Solis, 30, of Sylmar, California was traveling to Houston on February 9^th to conduct a drug transaction when a Texas Department of Public Safety trooper stopped him and his co-conspirators for going 20mph over the speed limit.

When the DPS trooper recognized the drug paraphernalia in the vehicle and observed a passenger attempt to conceal a pistol under his leg, he ordered all occupants out of the vehicle. The three occupants were determined to be convicted felons.

During the stop, Solis admitted to owning and possessing a second firearm located in the vehicle. A probable cause search revealed body armor, firearm magazines, and various types of drugs, including methamphetamine and fentanyl.

After arriving at the Pecos Criminal Justice Center, the two passengers who accompanied Solis in the vehicle required medical treatment due to fentanyl overdoses.

Solis pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. He faces a minimum prison term of five years for the firearm possession count and a maximum sentence of life in prison.

A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U...