Brothers convicted of methamphetamine conspiracy
MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Following an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Nashville, a federal jury in the Western District of Tennessee convicted two brothers of conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine.
According to information presented in court, HSI Nashville special agents began investigating the drug trafficking activities of Julio Garcia, 42, and Juan Garcia, 38, in 2019.
At the time, Julio Garcia was serving a 10-year federal sentence for another drug offense. While in custody, he used contraband phones to continue his drug trafficking activities.
Juan Garcia, who was not in custody, served as a middleman who accepted payments for shipments of narcotics and deposited the proceeds into various bank accounts.
During the conspiracy, investigators seized two narcotics shipments, each containing over one kilogram of methamphetamine.
“Drug traffickers pose significant threats to our communities and destabilize public safety and border security. This joint effort between HSI Nashville and its law enforcement partners resulted in the successful conviction of a drug trafficking organization. This investigation showcases the strength of interagency partnerships when targeting the flow of illegal dangerous drugs and addictive methamphetamines into the communities we serve.”
United States District Judge Mark S. Norris will sentence Julio Garcia on June 27 and Juan Garcia on June 28. Both men face 10 years to life in prison and fines of up to $10 million. They must also serve at least five years on supervised release.
HSI Nashville, the FBI, the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation and the Desoto County Sheriff’s Department investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorneys Greg Allen and Michelle Kimbril-Parks prosecuted the case.
This prosecution, as well as the previous investigation into Julio Garcia, is part of an investigation conducted by the Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). OCDETF is a joint federal, state and local cooperative approach to combat drug trafficking organizations and organized criminal enterprises, targeting national and regional level drug trafficking organizations, and coordinating the necessary law enforcement entities and resources to disrupt or dismantle the targeted criminal organization and seize their assets.
HSI is the principal investigative arm of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), responsible for investigating transnational crime and threats, specifically those criminal organizations that exploit the global infrastructure through which international trade, travel, and finance move. HSI’s workforce of more than 8,700 employees consists of more than 6,000 special agents assigned to 237 cities throughout the United States, and 93 overseas locations in 56 countries. HSI’s international presence represents DHS’s largest investigative law enforcement presence abroad and one of the largest international footprints in U.S. law enforcement.
Learn more about HSI’s mission to fight narcotics trafficking @HSI_Nashville.
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