Evergreen Reporter

A federal jury has convicted Lucio Camargo Garcia, a New Bern drug trafficker and leader in a drug trafficking organization (DTO) responsible for distributing kilogram quantities of methamphetamine and fentanyl in the Craven County area. Garcia, 45, was found guilty on one count of conspiracy, six counts of drug distribution and possession with intent to distribute, and one count of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. He faces between 15 years and life imprisonment at his sentencing later this year.

“We are partnering with local law enforcement across Eastern North Carolina to dismantle the drug trafficking networks fueling the fentanyl crisis,” said U.S. Attorney Michael Easley. “Our Task Force approach brings federal tools alongside local intelligence to prioritize kilogram-level traffickers like Lucio Camagro Garcia and other members of the Medina-Beltran Organization.”

“This investigation, and Garcia's conviction, along with the prosecutions of his co-conspirators has substantially disrupted the flow of methamphetamine and fentanyl coming into our area from the southwestern border. We appreciate the work of the U.S Attorney's Office, and the Craven County Sheriff's Office will continue to partner with Task Force members to identify, arrest, and prosecute major drug traffickers,” stated Craven County Sheriff Chip Hughes.

Court records and evidence presented at trial revealed that in 2021, multiple agencies including the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Craven County Sheriff’s Office, the New Bern Police Department, and others launched an investigation into a large-scale DTO. This organization was acquiring kilogram quantities of methamphetamine and fentanyl from the southwest border for distribution in Craven County. Through confidential sources, surveillance, and controlled purchases, Garcia was identified as a distributor handling ounce-level quantities for other dealers and smaller amounts for users.

From January to October 2022, law enforcement conducted several controlled purchases from Garcia. On October 31, 2022, search warrants were executed at residences linked to the DTO including Garcia’s home. Authorities seized approximately one kilogram of methamphetamine, 900 grams of fentanyl (in powder and pill form), and a loaded firearm from Garcia’s residence. Most drugs were found hidden in a secret compartment in his bedroom closet ceiling.

Other individuals associated with the DTO have also been indicted. Ivan Leonardo Medina-Beltran pled guilty and received a 35-year prison sentence in 2023. Xavier Garza pled guilty to drug trafficking and firearm charges on May 16, 2023; his sentencing is pending.

This case was part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation aimed at identifying high-level criminal networks through a multi-agency approach leveraging federal, state, and local law enforcement resources.

U.S. District Judge James C. Dever III accepted the verdict following an announcement by Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina. The DEA, HSI, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation, Craven County Sheriff’s Office, and New Bern Police Department are investigating this case while Assistant U.S. Attorneys Katherine Englander Webb and Caroline Webb are prosecuting it.

Further information can be accessed on PACER by searching Case No. 4:22-CR-00075-D-RJ-2 or through related court documents available on the website of the U.S District Court for Eastern District of North Carolina.