Jose Manuel Garcia, Meth Trafficking, Texas 2012

Corpus Christi Man Sentenced for Methamphetamine Trafficking

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A 38-year-old Corpus Christi man has been sentenced to federal prison for his involvement in a methamphetamine trafficking conspiracy, announced United States Attorney Kenneth Magidson today. Jose Manuel Garcia, along with co-defendant Alvaro Villarreal, 57, also of Corpus Christi, pleaded guilty to their roles in the conspiracy on October 23, 2012.

U.S. District Judge Nelva Gonzales Ramos, who accepted the pleas, ordered Garcia to serve a total of 168 months of imprisonment to be followed by a five-year-term of supervised release. The court also learned that Garcia was an associate of the Mexican Mafia prison gang and had two felony federal convictions for illegal entry after deportation.

Co-defendant Alvaro Villarreal will be sentenced on June 14, 2013, at 9:30 a.m. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Hugo R. Martinez.

According to the investigation, on July 30, 2012, agents from the United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) received information that Garcia was in possession of approximately two pounds of methamphetamine and was attempting to sell the substance for $32,000. DEA agents contacted Garcia in an attempt to negotiate a purchase price for the narcotics.

While conducting surveillance, agents followed Garcia to a residence in Corpus Christi where Garcia met with Villarreal. Garcia left the residence, followed by Villarreal. As Villarreal left the residence, officers conducted a traffic stop, at which time Villarreal told DEA agents the methamphetamine was located inside his residence.

Villarreal also told agents someone from Matamoros, Mexico, had delivered the narcotics to Villarreal and that he was attempting to sell the narcotics to Garcia. He, in turn, was trying to sell the narcotics to DEA agents. During a search of Villarreal’s residence, agents located a shoe box containing 1.26 kilograms of methamphetamine with a purity level of 97.6%.

DEA agents contacted Garcia again and set up a meeting at Garcia’s residence so that agents could give Garcia the buy money. As Garcia drove towards his residence, a traffic stop was conducted, and he was arrested. Garcia told agents he was fully aware of the methamphetamine that was located in Villarreal’s residence.

Garcia stated he was acting as a broker for the narcotics and that his intentions were to steal the methamphetamine from Villarreal, sell the substance, and travel back to Mexico. The investigation leading to the criminal charges was conducted in Corpus Christi, led by DEA and the Corpus Christi Police Department.

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