COLLIN COUNTY, Texas — A Texas woman has been sentenced to 35 years in prison after pleading guilty to her third drug charge in the last decade, according to officials.
The Collin County Criminal District Attorney's Office said Monica Gonzales, 37, of McKinney, was arrested after police found 34.9 grams of methamphetamine on her person during a traffic stop. Plano Texas Police Department Narcotics Detective David Farrington testified as an expert to explain the amount of meth Gonzales had on her was not for personal use. Farrington said a personal use amount of methamphetamine is 0.2 grams, so Gonzales had over 170 doses with her at the time.
The traffic stop happened on May 30, 2023, after a McKinney Police Department officer, during a narcotics investigation at a Super 8 Motel, witnessed a vehicle approaching a known suspect and engaging in a hand-to-hand drug transaction. The detective followed the vehicle as it left the parking lot and stopped it a few blocks later.
Gonzales was a passenger in the vehicle, officials said.
After approaching the vehicle during the traffic stop, another officer who responded to assist "immediately noticed the strong odor of marijuana." While still inside the car, Gonzales handed a small bag of marijuana to police.
The officer had Gonzales get out of the vehicle and asked if she had any other drugs on her person. The officer reached up the leg of her shorts and pulled out two bags of methamphetamine. The total weight of the methamphetamine was 34.9 grams, officials said.
Gonzales pleaded guilty and during the punishment phase of the trial, the jury heard evidence that she had a criminal history dating back to 2006, including two prior prison trips for drug dealing and possession in 2016 and 2020, respectively. One of the officers had even ran into Gonzales two weeks before this arrest. The officer testified that Gonzales was in a car with her 15-year-old son and two others. During that traffic stop, the officer did a search of her son and found 52 grams of methamphetamine in multiple bags hidden in various parts of his pants and boots.
The jury then sentenced Gonzales to 35 years in prison.
“We've seen this before: a repeat offender who hasn't changed despite multiple prison sentences. Now, it seems she's passing these harmful habits to her son, or at the very least, not protecting him from this destructive path. Rest assured, my office will not back down. We're committed to clear our streets of harmful influences,” District Attorney Greg Willis said after sentencing.
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