Name: Feds: Major multi-state meth/heroin trafficking ring operated in Sacramento and Solano Counties, leader allegedly ran operations from jail
Brand: eastbaytimes.com
SKU: eastbaytimes-com-63
Availability: OnlineOnly

critic

Feds: Major multi-state meth/heroin trafficking ring operated in Sacramento and Solano Counties, leader allegedly ran operations from jail

preview

By | | Bay Area News GroupSACRAMENTO — Four people have been arrested and charged with federal methamphetamine distribution — and several others named as uncharged co-conspirators — in what federal authorities describe as a multi-state meth and heroin trafficking ring that operated mainly in Fairfield, Vacaville and part of Sacramento County.Michael “Smokes” Garcia, his wife Nancy Garcia, his father Gonzago Garcia, and a fourth person, Tylor Combs, have all been charged in federal court with conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine. The recently-unsealed criminal complaint alleges that Michael Garcia directed Nancy and Combs in sales of meth, heroin and firearms, and that Michael bragged about supplying his dad with 10-15 pounds of meth at a time.For much of the time during the alleged crimes, Michael Garcia was incarcerated in Tulare County Jail, according to the complaint.The case is largely based upon a paid government informant who started working for the FBI last October. The informant allegedly conducted several controlled buys with Nancy Garcia, meeting in malls around Vacaville and Fairfield to buy large amounts of meth or heroin at a time.The informant is described as a man with a lengthy criminal history; he has more than a dozen felony arrests, and convictions for gun possession, kidnapping, assault on person with firearm. During the course of the investigation, he admitted to using meth but claimed that he only did so because he was put in a life and death situation, where others suspected him of being a snitch and asked him to use drugs to prove that he wasn’t working for the cops, the complaint says.The informant was paid for his work with federal authorities, though the complaint doesn’t disclose how much. Federal agents conducted undercover surveillance when the informant would meet with Nancy to make exchanges, and on at least one occasion she reported to Michael that she believed someone was following her, the complaint says.The informant began buying meth from Nancy in November 2019, paying her nearly $4,000 for two pounds of the drug, the complaint alleges. Over the next several months, the informant allegedly met with Nancy at the Solano Mall in Fairfield and the Vacaville Premium Outlets on a regular basis, to conduct drug sales.After the sales were completed, Nancy reported to Michael at the Tulare County Jail. They would discuss drug sales over video chat visits, using references to Cadillac and Chrysler cars as code words for different types of drugs, the complaint alleges. After Michael was released from jail, the two bought a house in Arizona.As Michael and the informant got closer, the complaint alleges Michael bragged about dealing directly with a supplier in Mexico. At one point, he claimed to have 30 pounds of meth saved up from a prior shipment. At another point, he complained that meth labs in Mexico were on hiatus in order to shorten the supply and drive up the per-pound price in the United States.At one point, the informant told federal authorities Michael sent him a video of himself holding a large amount of cash, where he can be heard saying, “Sac money is good money,” and making references to “trapping,” a slang term for making money through illegal means, the complaint alleges.The informant also implicated Combs in drug sales, and conducted gun buys with Combs, at one point purchasing 10 firearms at at time the complaint alleges. Michael allegedly told the informant that Combs had $110,000-$120,000 saved up at a stash house from drug proceeds.“On July 23, 2020, Michael told (the informant) that he had four pounds of methamphetamine and two kilograms of heroin available … Michael was breaking down the pounds of methamphetamine and selling one ounce two ounces at a time,” FBI agent Nathan Cernat wrote in the complaint. “Michael told the (informant) he was able to double the $4000.00 price per pound of methamphetamine by selling small amounts.”The complaint names several other people suspected of being involved in the ring, but who have not yet been charged. One of them, who went by the nickname “Boo Boo,” allegedly cut ties with the informant when he was pulled over by police immediately after a gun purchase, the complaint alleges.The case is still in its early stages. Michael was assigned an attorney this week, court records show. All four defendants remain in federal custody.We invite you to use our commenting platform to engage in insightful conversations about issues in our community. We reserve the right at all times to remove any information or materials that are unlawful, threatening, abusive, libelous, defamatory, obscene, vulgar, pornographic, profane, indecent or otherwise objectionable to us, and to disclose any information necessary to satisfy the law, regulation, or government request. We might permanently block any user who abuses these conditions.Get Morning Report and other email newslettersFollow UsMost PopularClose

By | | Bay Area News GroupSACRAMENTO — Four people have been arrested and charged with federal methamphetamine distribution — and several others named as uncharged co-conspirators — in what federal authorities describe as a multi-state meth and heroin trafficking ring that operated mainly in Fairfield, Vacaville and part of Sacramento County.Michael “Smokes” Garcia, his wife Nancy Garcia, his father Gonzago Garcia, and a fourth person, Tylor Combs, have all been charged in federal court with conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine. The recently-unsealed criminal...

public

Nate Gartrell

Winner of the 2017 Pulitzer Prize for Breaking News Reporting. See the latest news from throughout the East Bay, including Contra Costa and Alameda counties.

Feds: Major multi-state meth/heroin trafficking ring operated in Sacramento and Solano Counties, leader allegedly ran operations from jail

No article scores yet.

CRITIC REVIEWS

PUBLIC REVIEWS