An Edinburg man is heading to federal prison after police found him asleep at the wheel with meth and a gun in his car.

Alvaro Salinas Jr., 45, pleaded guilty on April 27 to possession with intent to distribute meth and being a felon in possession of a firearm.

According to a news release, Salinas was sentenced to more than 11 years in prison followed by three years of supervised release.

The incident occurred on Dec. 7, 2025. Law enforcement responded to a report of an unconscious driver stopped in the middle of the road.

Officers found Salinas asleep behind the wheel of a Nissan Rogue. When authorities tried to wake him, Salinas became combative and tried to flee with the vehicle doors open. Officers pulled him from the car, but Salinas kept resisting and tried to bite them, according to the news release.

Law enforcement found a firearm inside the driver-side door panel within his reach. Because Salinas has multiple prior felony convictions, federal law prohibits him from having a gun.

The news release said a search of his vehicle also turned up a large plastic bag with about 127 grams of meth inside.

At sentencing, the court heard about Salinas' criminal history, which included prior convictions for federal drug trafficking, transporting someone in the country illegally and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. The court noted Salinas seemed unable to live a law-abiding life.

Salinas remains in custody while awaiting transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility.