United States Drug Enforcement Administration

PROVIDENCE, R.I. - Wilson Garcia, 33, of Providence, pleaded guilty in federal court in Providence today to trafficking heroin and fentanyl. Garcia admitted to the court that on multiple occasions he sold heroin and fentanyl in Rhode Island while on bail and awaiting trial in Massachusetts for allegedly trafficking heroin.  Wilson, appearing before U.S. District Court Judge John J. McConnell, Jr., pleaded guilty as charged in a federal indictment returned on February 16, 2016, to five counts of distribution of heroin, one count of distribution of fentanyl, and one count of distribution of heroin aiding and abetting.

According to information presented to the court, on April 9, 2014, Wilson Garcia was arrested on a heroin trafficking charge brought in Wrentham District Court for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts as a result of an investigation conducted by the Norfolk County Police Anti-Crime Task Force.  When it was determined that Garcia was continuing to sell heroin while on bail and awaiting trial in Massachusetts, a subsequent investigation was launched by the DEA Task Force 1 in Boston.

During the course of the subsequent investigation, between December 2014 and September 2015, an undercover DEA Task Force agent arranged for the purchase of heroin from Garcia on at least six occasions and the purchase of fentanyl on at least one occasion. Six of the deliveries were made to the agent by Garcia at Twin River Casino in Lincoln. One delivery was made to the agent at Garcia’s Providence residence. The transactions resulted in the purchase from Garcia, a total of 20.7 grams of heroin for $2,200 in cash and 2.1 grams of fentanyl for $280 in cash.  Garcia, who was detained in federal custody at the time of his arrest on September 23, 2015, and subsequently released on $5,000 bond with surety, remains free on $5,000 bond pending sentencing by U.S. District Court Judge John J. McConnell, Jr., on August 23, 2016.

Garcia’s guilty plea is announced by Michael J. Ferguson Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration for New England and United States Attorney Peter F. Neronha.