Today, Fabricio Garces-Bedoya, a 53-year-old Ecuadorian citizen, admitted to importing heroin into the United States with the intent to distribute it in Maryland. The announcement was made by Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, alongside Special Agent in Charge Michael S. McCarthy from Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) – Baltimore.
The plea agreement revealed that Garces-Bedoya acted as a foreign supplier of heroin for a drug trafficking organization operating in Maryland. While still in Ecuador, he helped a courier from the organization by breaking down bundles of heroin into smaller packages. These packages were then concealed on and within the courier's body.
The courier traveled by plane to the United States and upon arrival encountered a U.S. Customs and Border Protection officer along with a Narcotics K-9 unit. The detection dog signaled the presence of narcotics, leading law enforcement officers to discover 584.5 grams of heroin on the courier.
Garces-Bedoya could face up to 20 years in federal prison. Sentencing will be determined by a federal district court judge who will consider various factors including U.S. Sentencing Guidelines.
U.S. Attorney Hayes expressed appreciation for HSI's role in this investigation and also acknowledged Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stanton Lawyer and Kenneth Clark for their work on prosecuting this case.
For further details about the activities and resources of the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, visit justice.gov/usao-md or justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach
