COVINGTON, KY (Friday, March 1, 2024) – The U.S. Attorney's Office, Eastern District of Kentucky reports that a Latonia, Ky., man, Marcos A. Garcia, 25, was sentenced on Friday, to 181 months in federal prison, by U.S. District Judge David Bunning, for conspiracy to distribute 10 grams or more of a fentanyl analogue, possession of 10 grams or more of a fentanyl analogue, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking.
According to his plea agreement, from February 1, 2021 through March 1, 2023, Garcia conspired with Kayla Vance, his co-defendant, to distribute controlled substances, including marijuana and more than 10 grams of a fentanyl analogue. On February 2, 2023, law enforcement used an informant to purchase pressed tablets from Garcia. Those tablets contained flurofentanyl, a powerful analogue of fentanyl. After making a second purchase of pressed tablets, on March 1, 2023, law enforcement executed a search warrant on a house shared by Garcia and Vance, where they found a handgun, 67 tablets of fentanyl, a pound of marijuana, other tablets, cash, and 11 uninstalled machinegun conversion devices.
Garcia admitted to law enforcement that he and Vance had been robbed of drugs and money on a prior occasion, so the handgun was for protection of his family and the drugs located in the residence.
Kayla Vance was previously sentenced to 51 months in prison, followed by four years of supervised release.
Under federal law, Garcia must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence. Upon his release from prison, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for five years.
Carlton S. Shier, IV, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky, and Shawn Morrow, Special Agent in Charge, ATF, Louisville Field Division, jointly announced the sentences.
The investigation was conducted by ATF and the Northern Kentucky Drug Strike Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tony Bracke is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.
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Updated March 4, 2024
