GAINESVILLE, FLORIDA – Jose Roberto Garcia Arroyo, a 45-year-old man from Haines City, Florida, has been sentenced to serve 11 years and 1 month in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute more than 5 kilograms of cocaine and possession with intent to distribute more than 5 kilograms of cocaine.
According to the evidence presented in court, Garcia Arroyo, the maintenance supervisor at two local apartment complexes in Gainesville, was receiving shipments of cocaine from Puerto Rico through the United States Postal Service. The investigation, led by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and assisted by the United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) and the United States Postal Service Office of Inspector General, uncovered a large-scale cocaine trafficking operation that had been operating for over a year.
The investigation revealed that between August 2019 and June 2020, 110 parcels had been shipped from Puerto Rico, most weighing approximately 6 pounds. One of these parcels was interdicted by USPIS at a postal facility and found to contain 2 kilograms of cocaine. The agents also determined that a shipment of parcels was in transit to the apartment complexes.
A joint surveillance operation was conducted in Gainesville on June 11, 2020. During this operation, agents learned that Garcia Arroyo obtained 6 parcels from the postal carrier which had been shipped from Puerto Rico to addresses within the apartment complexes. Shortly thereafter, an Alachua County Sheriff’s Office (ACSO) deputy conducted a traffic stop on Garcia Arroyo’s vehicle and a subsequent search of the truck revealed 6 priority mail parcels in the truck’s bed. These parcels were each found to contain 2 kilograms of cocaine.
The authorities were able to seize 16 kilograms of cocaine over the course of the investigation. At sentencing, Garcia Arroyo was held accountable for trafficking 234 kilograms of cocaine.
This sentencing resulted from the collaborative efforts of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, United States Postal Inspection Service Office, the United States Postal Service Office of Inspector General, and the Alachua County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Christopher Elsey prosecuted the case.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is committed to holding individuals accountable for their crimes and disrupting the flow of illicit narcotics into the community. This case is a prime example of the effectiveness of collaborative law enforcement efforts in combating organized crime.
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Key Facts
- State: Florida
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Violent Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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