Convicted felon sentenced after being caught with guns, cocaine, pills, cash during DWI stop

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HOUSTON – A Houston man was sentenced to eight years in prison for possession of two firearms as a felon and for possession of cocaine with the intent to distribute it, United States Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani announced on Tuesday.

Sidney Rachal pleaded guilty on July 6 to these two charges. When officers found him, he also had $22,905 in cash.

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Rachal will have three years of supervised release after his sentence is complete. He also agreed to give up his two firearms and magazines.

On Jan. 21, 2022, authorities found Rachal’s vehicle stopped in the middle of the road. He was arrested for driving while intoxicated and for an outstanding felony warrant.

When he was arrested, officers found that he had two plastic bags with 68 grams of cocaine. Two guns were also found in his car.

In court, it was also revealed he had other illegal drugs like marijuana, alprazolam, and other pills with the material to distribute the items.

Rachal was previously convicted of aggravated robbery.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Rodolfo Ramirez prosecuted the case.


About the Author

Cynthia Miranda graduated from UT Austin and is a proud Houstonian. She is passionate about covering breaking news and community stories. Cynthia previously covered elections, the historic 2021 Texas winter storm, and other news in East Texas. In addition to writing, she also loves going to concerts, watching movies, and cooking with her family.

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