A Laredo man, Raul Garcia Jr., known also as Rule, has pleaded guilty to the charge of possession with intent to distribute heroin. The guilty plea involves over 100 grams of the substance, with the investigation leading up to this plea beginning in January when law enforcement was tipped off about Garcia's drug activities in the area, according to a recent announcement by U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
For months, intelligence gathered strength, indicating that Garcia was conducting his dealings not just in the shadows of the Laredo streets but potentially from the confines of his own residence. Finally, in March, when the law reached a threshold allowing them to act, law enforcement obtained a warrant and executed a search of Garcia’s home. They unearthed heroin, packaged ominously for sale; a second search in April revealed more of the same.
In a move that solidifies his fate, Garcia admitted to possessing the heroin found during the government's search. The confession now places him at the mercy of U.S. District Judge Marina Garcia Marmolejo's sentencing, which could mete out up to 40 years in federal prison and fines reaching as high as $5 million. His sentencing date remains to be scheduled, and until then, Garcia will remain in the grip of custody.
The case, as noted by the Department of Justice, fell under the umbrella of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. The task force, known as a multi-agency powerhouse against high-level criminal organizations, played a central role in bringing Garcia to justice. In this particular case, the Drug Enforcement Administration, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and Laredo Police Department’s Narcotics Division conducted the investigation with support from Homeland Security Investigations and Border Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brian Bajew and Leslie Cortez took the baton in prosecuting the case.
