Ernesto Garcia-Castro, Heroin Trafficking, New Mexico 2014

HEROIN TRAFFICKER SENTENCED TO 10 YEARS

ALBUQUERQUE, NM – In a shocking turn of events, Ernesto Garcia-Castro, a 42-year-old Mexican national from Ayuquilia, Oaxaca, Mexico, has been sentenced to 10 years in federal prison for his heroin trafficking conviction. Garcia-Castro, who was illegally present in the United States, will be deported after he completes his prison sentence.

The arrest of Garcia-Castro and his co-defendant, Luis Arturo Plazola-Jara, 32, a Mexican national from La Palma, Nayarit, Mexico, was made on June 17, 2013, after law enforcement officers found more than four pounds of heroin and narcotics paraphernalia at Garcia-Castro’s residence in southeast Albuquerque.

The two men subsequently were indicted and charged with conspiracy and possession of heroin with intent to distribute. Garcia-Castro pled guilty to possession of heroin with intent to distribute on February 18, 2014, while Plazola-Jara entered a guilty plea to the same charge on February 6, 2014.

Plazola-Jara was sentenced to 37 months in federal prison and will also be deported after he completes his sentence. The case was investigated by the Albuquerque office of the DEA and the Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office, and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney William J. Pflugrath.

Garcia-Castro’s 10-year sentence is a significant blow to the heroin trafficking ring, which had been operating in the Albuquerque area for some time. The case serves as a reminder of the dangers of heroin trafficking and the importance of law enforcement’s efforts to combat it.

The Grimy Times will continue to follow this story and provide updates as more information becomes available.

According to court documents, Garcia-Castro and Plazola-Jara were found to be in possession of over four pounds of heroin, a significant amount that could have had devastating consequences for the community if it had been distributed.

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