Two Fort Smith Men Sentenced To A Total Of Over 32 Years In Federal Prison For Drug Trafficking

Fort Smith, Arkansas - Duane (DAK) Kees, United States Attorney for the Western District of Arkansas, announced that Jose Escalante, age 36, of Fort Smith, was sentenced today to 200 months in federal prison followed by five years of supervised release on one count of Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine and Jose Alonso Garcia, age 38, of Fort Smith, was sentenced today to 188 months in federal prison followed by five years of supervised release on one count of Aiding and Abetting Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine The Honorable Chief Judge P.K. Holmes, III presided over the sentencing hearings in the United States District Court in Fort Smith.

According to court records, in September of 2016, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) learned that methamphetamine was being distributed in the Fort Smith area by Escalante. During the investigation, DEA arranged and conducted multiple controlled purchases of methamphetamine from Escalante.  During one of the transactions, Garcia drove Escalante to meet with an undercover agent and assisted with the transaction.  The substance purchased was sent to the DEA South Central Laboratory for testing. The lab determined that the substance contained actual methamphetamine.

Escalante and Garcia were indicted by a federal grand jury in March 2018. Escalante entered a guilty plea in May 2018 and Garcia entered a guilty plea in April 2018.

This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms (ATF), Crawford County Sheriff’s Office, Fort Smith Police Department, Barling Police Department, Sebastian County Sheriff’s Office, Van Buren Police Department and the 12^th/21^st Judicial District Drug Task Force. Assistant United States Attorney Candace Taylor prosecuted the case for the United States.