Monroe man sentenced 10 years for being ‘right hand man’ in deadly drug ring

SEATTLE — A Monroe man was sentenced to 10 years in prison for his role in a deadly drug ring in the Seattle area.

According to a press release from the United States Attorney’s Office Western District of Washington, Humberto Garcia, 42, was sentenced Friday in U.S. District Court in Seattle for conspiracy to distribute controlled substances. Garcia was initially convicted in April 2024 following a week-long trial.

Garcia was arrested in December 2020 with seven other defendants tied to a drug trafficking ring distributing heroin, methamphetamine and fentanyl throughout the Puget Sound region, according to a press release.

At the sentencing hearing, U.S. District Judge Richard A. Jones said, “Despite the fact that you had addiction you were involved in distributing very dangerous drugs.” Judge Jones also said that Garcia was willing to provide a gun to the drug ring boss who sought to use violence to settle scores. “You were a willing and capable participant with loyalty to the drug ring leader,” Judge Jones said.

“Mr. Garcia played an important role in the conspiracy, acting as a drug redistributor, local guide, interpreter, and link to other drug dealers,” said U.S. Attorney Gorman. “He continued to distribute fentanyl even after learning of a customer overdose death. His conduct contributed to the huge spike of fentanyl overdoses in our community.”

According to records filed in the case and testimony at trial, investigators searched Garcia’s car in October 2020 after drug ringleader Jose Luis Ibarra-Valle, 40, asked Garcia to get him a firearm to kill another drug distributor who owed him money.

Ibarra-Valle was stopped while he was returning from a drug run to California. In the car, authorities found about 10,000 pills that contained fentanyl, more than eight kilograms of methamphetamine, and more than a kilogram of heroin, according to the press release.

Ibarra-Valle and the other coconspirators entered guilty pleas following their arrests.

Last year, Ibarra-Valle was sentenced to nine years in prison. The remaining coconspirators have been sentenced, with a range of sentences from time served, to over six years in prison, according to the press release.

Throughout the investigation, law enforcement seized 16,000 fentanyl pills, 30 pounds of meth, and six pounds of heroin.

Following prison, Garcia will be on five years of supervised release.

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