A 31-year-old man from Hobbs, New Mexico, has pleaded guilty to federal drug trafficking and firearms charges.
Louis Garcia entered the guilty plea under a plea agreement that recommends a 15-year prison sentence followed by a term of supervised release to be determined by the court.
The charges against Garcia stem from a traffic stop in Lea County, New Mexico, on November 20, 2017. During the stop, officers of the Hobbs Police Department found a loaded firearm, two ounces of methamphetamine, drug paraphernalia, and $544 in Garcia’s vehicle.
Garcia was arrested in December 2017 on a criminal complaint charging him with committing drug trafficking and firearms offenses. He was found to be in possession of approximately 54 grams of a mixture containing methamphetamine and a loaded handgun for protection in relation to his drug trafficking activity.
In 2007, Garcia had previously been convicted of methamphetamine trafficking, which prohibited him from possessing firearms or ammunition.
Garcia remains in custody pending a sentencing hearing, which has yet to be scheduled. The case was investigated by the Las Cruces office of the DEA and the Hobbs Police Department and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney John Balla of the U.S. Attorney’s Las Cruces Branch Office.
The defendant, Louis Garcia, will face a 15-year prison sentence and supervised release as part of the plea agreement. The charges against him include possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute, carrying a firearm in relation to a drug trafficking crime, and being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Key Facts
- State: New Mexico
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Weapons
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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