SCRANTON — This is an official press release from the U.S. Department of Justice (USAO - Pennsylvania, Middle), published as received.
SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that on September 18, 2017, United States District Court Judge A. Richard Caputo sentenced Willie Garcia, age 48, of Edwardsville, Pennsylvania, to 62 months’ imprisonment for possessing with intent to distribute marijuana, and for possessing a firearm in furtherance of his drug trafficking activities.
According to United States Attorney Bruce D. Brandler, Garcia was arrested with more than 400 grams of marijuana, approximately $22,000 and a loaded firearm (9mm keltc semi-automatic pistol) after a search warrant was executed on or about May 2, 2015, at his home by the Edwardsville Police Department.
Garcia was indicted by a grand jury on May 10, 2016, and pleaded guilty pursuant to a plea agreement. He has been in custody since his arrest.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Edwardsville Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Evan Gotlob prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of the Violent Crime Reduction Partnership (“VCRP”), a district wide initiative to combat the spread of violent crime in the Middle District of Pennsylvania. Led by the United States Attorney’s Office, the VCRP consists of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies whose mission is to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who commit violent crimes with firearms.
# # #
