A 27-year-old Houston man pleaded guilty to federal drug trafficking violations today in the Eastern District of Texas. Drug Enforcement Administration Special Agent in Charge Joseph M. Arabit, Houston Division and Acting U.S. Attorney Brit Featherston announced the guilty plea jointly. Hugo Alejandro Garcia pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine before U.S. Magistrate Judge Keith Giblin.
According to information presented in court, on Oct. 27, 2016, law enforcement officers pulled over Garcia on Interstate 10 eastbound in Beaumont for a traffic violation. Garcia was extremely nervous and during questioning, he provided officers with inconsistencies as to his travel plans. Garcia gave consent to search the vehicle which resulted in officers discovering four bundles wrapped in black electrical tape and concealed under the carpet in the trunk. Garcia admitted to transporting narcotics and stated he was on his way to Louisiana with the drugs. The bundles contained four kilograms of cocaine. Garcia was indicted by a federal grand jury on Nov. 2, 2016.
Under federal statutes, Garcia faces up to 20 years in federal prison at sentencing. The maximum statutory sentence prescribed by Congress is provided here for information purposes, as the sentencing will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. The U.S. Probation Office will schedule a sentencing hearing after the completion of a pre-sentence investigation.
The Drug Enforcement Administration and the Beaumont Police Department investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher T. Rapp prosecuted the case.
