Israel Garcia, Discharging Firearm During Drug Trafficking, Washington 2025

A Spokane, Washington man has been sentenced to 20 years in federal prison for discharging a firearm at police officers during a drug trafficking crime.

Israel Garcia, 36, was ordered to pay $6,000 in restitution to the Spokane Police Department and face 5 years of supervised release after serving his sentence.

Garcia, a documented gang member from the Yakima, Washington area, was convicted in 2015 of Assault on Federal Officers and sentenced to 84 months in federal custody.

He was released in 2021 and deported to Mexico, but returned unlawfully to the United States in 2022 and resumed his drug trafficking activities.

On October 16, 2022, Garcia was arrested after he opened fire on Spokane Police officers in an attempt to flee arrest while delivering 10,000 fentanyl pills to the area.

The bullets from Garcia's firearm were directed at multiple law enforcement officers, but one round was deflected by a car door window, potentially saving the life of one officer.

Garcia will be transferred to Spokane County to face state charges for assaulting the law enforcement officers.

Pete Serrano, the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington, stated, "We have zero tolerance for dangerous offenders like Garcia who pose an immediate threat to our community and our law enforcement partners."

David F. Reames, Special Agent in Charge, DEA Seattle Field Division, added, "Mr. Garcia was a menace to our community, both because of his fentanyl trafficking as well as his violent behavior."

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-edwa/pr/mexican-national-unlawfully-present-united-states-sentenced-20-years-discharging