Two Texas men plead guilty to transporting 28 kilograms of cocaine

SHREVEPORT, La. – United States Attorney Stephanie A. Finley announced that two Texas men pleaded guilty Monday to conspiring to sell approximately 28 kilograms of powder cocaine.

Ricardo Garcia, 28, and Jesus Christian Martinez, 34, both of Brownsville, Texas, pleaded guilty before U.S. Judge Elizabeth E. Foote to one count of conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute powder cocaine.  According to the guilty plea, Louisiana State Police conducted a traffic stop on February 3, 2015 on a vehicle traveling eastbound on I-20 in Bossier Parish. The vehicle displayed North Carolina license plates but was not registered to either the driver or the passenger.  After further investigation, troopers searched the vehicle and found 28 kilogram-size packages of powder cocaine inside of a speaker box.

The defendants each face 10 years to life in prison, five years of supervised release and a $10 million fine. Sentencing is set for April 22, 2016.

The DEA-Shreveport Office and Louisiana State Police conducted the investigation.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Allison D. Bushnell is prosecuting the case.