Texas Man Convicted of Meth Trafficking

MONROE, La. — A federal jury found a Texas man guilty last week of transporting methamphetamine for later sale.

Brian Manuel Garcia, 27, of Welaco, Texas, was found guilty Thursday, January 19, 2017 of one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

According to the evidence presented, a Lincoln Parish Sheriff’s deputy stopped a speeding vehicle on Interstate 20 carrying Garcia and Alberto Trevino, 34, also from Welaco, Texas, on July 5, 2016. The deputy searched the vehicle and found marijuana and a beer box in the trunk. Inside the box were four plastic bags containing 4,027 grams of methamphetamine.

Trevino later admitted they were traveling to Mississippi to deliver drugs to a buyer. Garcia faces at least 10 years to life in prison for both counts. Garcia’s sentencing is set for April 20, 2017. Trevino pleaded guilty on December 20, 2016 to conspiracy. Trevino’s sentencing was set for March 16, 2017.

They also face five years of supervised release and a $10 million fine. The DEA and the Lincoln Parish Sheriff’s Office investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jonathan S. Drucker and Allison D. Bushnell are prosecuting the case. United States District Judge S. Maurice Hicks Jr. presided over the trial.

The three-day trial concluded with the jury deliberating for two hours before delivering the guilty verdict. This is a significant blow to the methamphetamine trafficking ring and demonstrates the commitment of law enforcement agencies to keeping our communities safe.

Garcia and his accomplice, Trevino, thought they could evade the law, but their greed and recklessness have caught up with them. We will continue to work tirelessly to dismantle these types of operations and bring those responsible to justice.