Albuquerque teen Francisco Garcia, 19, admitted in federal court today to wielding a firearm during the sale of methamphetamine, caving under a federal plea deal that exposes him to a mandatory five-year prison sentence.
Garcia, a resident of Albuquerque, N.M., pleaded guilty to using and carrying a firearm in relation to a drug trafficking crime. The charge stems from two controlled drug buys on May 10 and May 12, 2016, where Garcia sold meth to an undercover agent — each time armed, investigators say. On May 12, he physically carried the weapon during the transaction, admitting it was for protection and to further his drug operations.
The arrest came on July 8, 2016, as part of a sweeping ATF-led operation targeting violent offenders in Bernalillo County. The probe spawned 59 federal indictments and one criminal complaint, ensnaring 104 individuals in firearms and narcotics charges. The operation, launched in April 2016, fused federal, state, and local forces in a coordinated strike against repeat offenders flooding the city with guns and drugs.
Garcia’s original indictment was superseded on July 28, 2016, tightening the charges to include distribution of meth and firearm use in drug trafficking. The court also ordered forfeiture of $1,440 — cash linked to the drug sales. That money is now slated to be turned over to the United States.
The case is part of a federal anti-violence push targeting “the worst of the worst” — focusing on felons with long rap sheets who arm themselves while dealing. The U.S. Attorney’s Office, working with New Mexico prosecutors and law enforcement, aims to extract violent repeat offenders from neighborhoods for extended stretches through federal sentencing enhancements.
So far, 20 of the 104 defendants swept up in the operation have pleaded guilty; one has already been sentenced. The rest maintain their innocence. Francisco Garcia’s sentencing hearing remains unscheduled. The investigation was handled by ATF’s Albuquerque office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Rumaldo R. Armijo is prosecuting.
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Related Federal Cases
- Las Cruces Man Pleads Guilty to Meth Trafficking, Gun Sale · New Mexico
- Albuquerque Man Pleads Guilty to Carrying Gun for Meth Deal · New Mexico
- Albuquerque Drug Kingpin Pleads Guilty to Meth Distribution · New Mexico
- Albuquerque Man Pleads Guilty to Heroin, Gun Charges · New Mexico
- Meth & Mayhem: Burlingame Admits Trafficking, Gun Charge · New Mexico
Key Facts
- State: New Mexico
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Weapons|Organized Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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