Cruz Javier Garcia, Methamphetamine and Cocaine Trafficking, Utah 2025

A 40-pound shipment of methamphetamine and cocaine has been taken off the streets in Utah, thanks to a successful investigation by law enforcement agencies. Cruz Javier Garcia, 39, of Bland, Virginia, was sentenced to 246 months' imprisonment and a five-year term of supervised release for his role in the methamphetamine and cocaine trafficking operation.

According to court documents, Garcia was pulled over for speeding on September 22, 2023. During the traffic stop, a search of his vehicle revealed a suitcase containing 40 one-pound bags of methamphetamine and a backpack with 3.5 pounds of cocaine. Garcia later pleaded guilty to possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute and possession of cocaine with intent to distribute on May 8, 2025.

Acting U.S. Attorney Felice John Viti of the District of Utah stated, "Drug trafficking is a scourge on communities, and those who seek to profit from it while our communities are left to bear the cost of addiction, violence and death, is unacceptable." Viti also emphasized that Garcia's sentence sends a clear message to anyone involved in drug trafficking in the District of Utah: "you will be caught, prosecuted, and held accountable."

Commissioner Beau Mason of the Utah Department of Public Safety commended the strong partnership between his department and the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Utah in securing Garcia's conviction. Assistant United States Attorney Christopher Burton of the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Utah prosecuted the case.

The case was investigated by the Utah Department of Public Safety, State Bureau of Investigation, and the Utah Highway Patrol. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that aims to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.

Garcia's sentence comes after a series of high-profile arrests and convictions in the District of Utah. The U.S. Attorney's Office continues to work closely with law enforcement agencies to combat drug trafficking and other violent crimes in the community.

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-ut/pr/virginia-man-sentenced-prison-after-trafficking-40-pounds-methamphetamine-and-cocaine