A prolonged ordeal of manipulation and terror inflicted upon a Millcreek family has reached a crucial point with the arrest of Dominic Garcia, a 23-year-old man accused of holding them under the threat of cartel violence. As reported by FOX13, Garcia has been booked for 28 offenses, including Aggravated Assault and Aggravated Kidnapping.
The situation purportedly began to escalate over six months, with Garcia acquiring a 10mm handgun and using it to intimidate the family, demonstrating the weapon's mechanisms and even pointing it at them in what he called "a game," as detailed by KUTV. Garcia also forced them to unexpectedly leave their home, due to a fabricated story about a deal gone awry that was supposedly made by his grandfather.
Further terrorizing actions are recounted in the KUTV piece, with Garcia having subjected a young girl to inhumane "boot camp" exercises, such as ice baths and submerging her face in ice water, under the guise of preparing her for cartel violence. This behavior reportedly reached a climactic point when Garcia discovered a text message on his girlfriend’s sister’s phone, intensifying his menacing tactics.
Yet in an interview with authorities, Garcia confessed that "it was all a lie," having found himself trapped in a deceptive web of his own making, too fearful of losing the family's regard to cease his ruse. According to KSL, he was aware of the mental trauma he was causing. Police, concerned for the safety of the family and community, have requested that Garcia be held without bail, labeling him as a significant flight risk and potential danger.
The Unified police's request is rooted in a fear that Garcia might seek retribution or may indeed have ties to the cartel he hinted at being involved with. For now, the family can perhaps start to entangle themselves from the grip of fear and approach some semblance of normalcy, free from the shadow Garcia cast over their lives with his harrowing deceit.
