Convicted felon admits to possessing distributable amounts heroin

LAREDO, Texas – A 32-year-old Laredo man has pleaded guilty to possession with the intent to distribute 100 grams or more of heroin, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.

The investigation began in January when law enforcement learned Raul Garcia Jr. aka Rule was selling drugs in the Laredo area. Over the next two months, investigators continued to receive information Garcia was selling narcotics, and possibly out of his home.

In March, law enforcement obtained a warrant to search Garcia’s home. During the search, authorities located heroin packaged for street sale. A month later, law enforcement obtained a second search warrant and again found heroin. Similar to drugs recovered during the March search, they noted the heroin found in April was also packaged for street sale.

As part of his guilty plea, Garcia admitted to possessing the drugs located and seized throughout the investigation.

U.S. District Judge Marina Garcia Marmolejo will impose sentencing at a later date. At that time, Garcia faces up to 40 years in federal prison and a possible $5 million maximum fine.

Garcia will remain in custody pending that hearing.

The Drug Enforcement Administration, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Laredo Police Department’s Narcotics Division conducted the investigation with assistance from Homeland Security Investigations and Border Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brian Bajew and Leslie Cortez are prosecuting the case.

This case is being prosecuted as part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF is the largest anti-crime task force in the country. OCDETF identifies, disrupts and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found on the Department of Justice’s OCDETF webpage.