United States Attorney Richard B. Roper
Northern District of Texas

TWO HEROIN TRAFFICKERS SENTENCED

FORT WORTH, Texas — Today, in federal court in Fort Worth, U.S. District Judge John McBryde sentenced the second of two known members of a heroin trafficking conspiracy, announced U.S. Attorney Richard B. Roper of the Northern District of Texas.

Jose Nicolas Garcia, 63, of Everman, Texas, was sentenced to 241 months (more than 20 years) in prison. On January 15, 2008, a jury found Garcia guilty on all charges presented to them — conspiracy to distribute more than 100 grams of heroin, possession with intent to distribute more than 100 grams of heroin, and possession of a short-barreled shotgun in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Garcia received 121 months on the heroin charges and 120 months on the gun charge. By law, the punishment for the gun conviction runs consecutive to the punishment for the gun conviction.

Garcia’s co-defendant, Baltazar Murillo, 38, of Fort Worth, was sentenced last week by Judge McBryde to 57 months (4 years, 9 months) in prison. Murillo pled guilty in January 2008.

Both defendants were arrested on October 17, 2007, as a result of an undercover drug bust in Everman, Texas, where Garcia delivered approximately six ounces of heroin. After his arrest, law enforcement searched his house and found approximately four ounces of heroin along with his short-barreled shotgun. Testimony at trial revealed that both Garcia and Murillo had trafficked approximately 16 ounces of heroin in the six months preceding their arrest.

U.S. Attorney Roper praised the investigative work of the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Tarrant County Organized Crime Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jay Dewald prosecuted the case.

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