A 35-year-old former Texas Department of Public Safety trooper from Pharr pleaded guilty to lying to federal agents in a drug investigation involving his family, according to the U.S. Attorney General’s Office.

As part of a plea deal, Pablo Talavera Jr. admitted he lied to FBI agents of his knowledge of his family’s involvement in drug trafficking.    

The investigation began in 2019 when law enforcement targeted an organization led by Talavera’s father that was responsible for transporting drugs from the Rio Grande Valley to Tennessee, according to a news release.

The investigation revealed Talavera had used his position as a DPS trooper to assist his father by running license plates of vehicles believed to be that of law enforcement. Talavera originally denied knowledge of his father’s participation in drug trafficking.

“However, he ultimately admitted this fact and that he had assisted him by running the license plate checks,” the release stated

Talavera’s father was previously convicted of drug trafficking and is now serving a 21-year federal sentence.  

Talavera is set to be sentenced on Nov. 7. He faces up to five years in federal prison.