Colorado Man Sentenced to Ten Years in Federal Prison for Cocaine Trafficking Conviction

ALBUQUERQUE – Jimmy Garcia, 51, of Denver, Colo., was sentenced earlier today in federal court in Las Cruces, N.M., to ten years in federal prison followed by five years of supervised release for his cocaine trafficking conviction.  Garcia’s sentence was announced by Acting U.S. Attorney Steven C. Yarbrough, , Special Agent in Charge Joseph M. Arabit of the El Paso Division of the DEA, and Chief Patrol Agent Scott A. Luck, El Paso Sector of the U.S. Border Patrol.

Garcia was arrested on June 21, 2012, after Border Patrol agents discovered 6.62 kilograms of cocaine secreted in his vehicle during a routine inspection at the I-25 Border Patrol checkpoint north of Las Cruces.  According to the criminal complaint, the agents sought and obtained Garcia’s consent to have a narcotics canine inspect his vehicle when Garcia became nervous and non-responsive during routine questioning.  After the narcotics canine indicated the presence of narcotics in the vehicle, the agents found seven bundles of cocaine hidden in the dash of the vehicle.  Garcia has been in federal custody since his arrest.

On May 7, 2013, Garcia pled to the indictment and admitted driving into a Border Patrol checkpoint in a vehicle containing 6.62 kilograms of cocaine.  Garcia further admitted that he intended to transport the cocaine to others who would further distribute the drugs.

This case was investigated by the DEA and the Las Cruces station of the U.S. Border Patrol and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Amanda Gould of the U.S. Attorney’s Las Cruces Branch Office.