Cruz Javier Garcia, a 39-year-old resident of Bland, Virginia, was sentenced in Salt Lake City to more than 20 years in prison after pleading guilty to trafficking large quantities of methamphetamine and cocaine in Utah. The sentencing includes a five-year period of supervised release.
Court records show that on September 22, 2023, Garcia was stopped for speeding. During the stop, law enforcement searched his vehicle and discovered a black garbage bag containing about 40 one-pound bags of methamphetamine in a suitcase and an additional 3.5 pounds of cocaine in a backpack.
Garcia admitted guilt to charges of possession with intent to distribute both methamphetamine and cocaine on May 8, 2025.
Acting U.S. Attorney Felice John Viti stated: “Drug trafficking is a scourge on communities, and those who seek to profit from it while our communities are left to bear the cost of addiction, violence and death, is unacceptable. Garcia’s sentence sends a clear message to anyone involved in trafficking drugs in the District of Utah: you will be caught, prosecuted, and held accountable.”
Commissioner Beau Mason of the Utah Department of Public Safety commented: “The Utah Department of Public Safety is committed to interdicting contraband on Utah highways and providing professional investigations that lead to successful prosecutions. We are grateful for the strong partnership with the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Utah. Acting U.S. Attorney Felice John Viti's team played a crucial role in securing this conviction, and we congratulate them on this successful outcome.”
The investigation was led by the Utah Department of Public Safety’s State Bureau of Investigation along with the Utah Highway Patrol. Assistant United States Attorney Christopher Burton prosecuted the case.
This prosecution is part of Operation Take Back America—a national effort using resources from multiple Justice Department programs such as Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN)—which targets drug cartels, transnational criminal organizations, illegal immigration-related crime, and violent offenders.
