Georgia man sentenced in south Texas to 10 years for importing 25 kilos of methamphetamine from Mexico
Defendant was caught attempting to import meth during the fourth of July
LAREDO, Texas — A Georgia resident was sentenced Tuesday to 10 years in federal prison for possession with the intent to distribute nearly 25 kilograms (55 pounds) of methamphetamine, announced U.S. Attorney Kenneth Magidson, Southern District of Texas.
The investigation was led by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) with the assistance of U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP).
Guillermo Garcia, 55, a U.S. permanent resident from Atlanta, Georgia, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Marina Garcia-Marmolejo Nov. 18 to 120 months in federal prison. Garcia is expected to face deportation proceedings following his release. Garcia pleaded guilty just 18 days after he committed the crime July 4.
According to court documents, on July 4, Garcia entered the U.S. from Mexico via the Laredo Port of Entry driving a 2005 Chevy Express van and approached the primary inspection lane. CBP officers noticed tampering on the drive shaft and muffler area of the vehicle and referred him to secondary inspection. An X-ray examination of his vehicle revealed anomalies, and a drug canine alerted to the presence of narcotics. CBP officers extracted 24.57 kilograms of liquid methamphetamine.
Garcia admitted transporting these narcotics for profit, stating he was headed to deliver these narcotics to a male in Atlanta. He expected to receive $1,000 per kilogram of methamphetamine he was able to transport.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Sanjeev Bhasker, Southern District of Texas, is prosecuting this case.
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