Marcos Garcia, Cocaine Trafficking, Texas 2014

Feds Nab Cocaine Trafficker at Border Checkpoint

A federal jury has convicted a 40-year-old Weslaco man of conspiracy to commit cocaine-trafficking and possession with intent to distribute cocaine, U.S. Attorney Kenneth Magidson announced.

Marcos Garcia, 40, was found guilty on one count of conspiracy to commit cocaine-trafficking and one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine, after a three-day trial in Corpus Christi.

The jury returned its verdicts against Garcia just a short time ago after less than two hours of deliberation. Garcia faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years and up to life imprisonment as well as a possible $10 million fine.

The evidence at trial established that Garcia was going to resume driving his tractor trailer after his brother-in-law and a 22-year-old female successfully passed through the checkpoint. Garcia’s plan was to deliver the illegal aliens and the cocaine himself.

On the evening of Sept. 4, 2014, Garcia picked up a load of produce in Donna and was scheduled to deliver it to Houston the next day. Garcia’s tractor trailer arrived at the Border Patrol Checkpoint near Falfurrias just after midnight on Sept. 5, 2014, but Garcia was not driving. He had solicited his brother-in-law and a 22-year-old female to drive the vehicle through the checkpoint, while Garcia passed through the checkpoint in another vehicle a few minutes prior.

Authorities arrested the two people in the tractor trailer after the discovery of 15 illegal aliens hidden in the trailer with the produce. Subsequently, 37 kilograms of cocaine was also found hidden in a false compartment underneath the trailer’s floor. The cocaine was found after the trailer had been seized by Border Patrol and stored at an impound lot.

Garcia was arrested at the Falfurrias checkpoint driving another tractor trailer hauling produce on Oct. 31, 2014. Along with the produce were 24 illegal aliens hiding in the vehicle that Garcia was driving. He previously pleaded guilty to that offense and faces up to 10 years imprisonment and a maximum $250,000 fine.

U.S. District Judge Nelva Gonzales Ramos presided over the trial and has set sentencing for Jan. 14, 2016. The charges are the result of an investigation conducted by Homeland Security Investigations with the assistance of Border Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorney Chad W. Cowan is prosecuting the case.

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