Two Texas Men Sentenced To Combined 10 Years In Federal Prison For Drug Trafficking

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. - Rosalio Laredo-Garcia, 21 of Hutchins, Texas, was sentenced today to 57 months in federal prison and ordered to pay a $1,900 fine on one count of Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine.  Co-Defendant, Hado Zepeda-Garcia, 25 of Wilmer, Texas was sentenced yesterday to 63 months in federal prison and ordered to pay a $4,900 fine on one count of Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine announced Drug Enforcement (DEA) Assistant Special Agent in Charge Matthew Barden, and Kenneth Elser, United States Attorney for the Western District of Arkansas. 

According to court documents, in February of 2016, DEA agents received information that Hado Zepeda-Garcia planned to travel from Wilmer, Texas, to the Western District of Arkansas with several pounds of methamphetamine. On February 6, 2016, agents conducting surveillance in the Western District of Arkansas observed Zepeda-Garcia and Laredo-Garcia driving northbound on Interstate 49 in Zepeda-Garcia’s vehicle.  Once the vehicle pulled into the parking lot of a local business, agents made contact with them.  Hado Zepeda-Garcia consented to the search of his vehicle, and during the search, agents located 2,897 grams of methamphetamine packaged in three separate plastic tubs that were hidden inside of an air compressor.

After waiving their Miranda rights, both Zepeda-Garcia and Laredo-Garcia admitted to agents that they planned to distribute the methamphetamine found in the vehicle in the Western District of Arkansas. Both defendants were indicted on March 18, 2016 and both entered a guilty plea in July, 2016.

Parents and children are encouraged to educate themselves about the dangers of drugs by visiting DEA’s interactive websites at www.JustThinkTwice.com, www.GetSmartAboutDrugs.com and www.dea.gov.