Manuel Garcia Hernandez sentenced to 7 years for large‑scale meth and cocaine trafficking

Manuel Garcia Hernandez, a 41‑year‑old undocumented Mexican national residing in Renton, Washington, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Ricardo S. Martinez to 84 months in federal prison for conspiring to distribute pound quantities of methamphetamine and cocaine across western Washington and the western district of Kentucky. The sentencing follows a wiretap investigation that led to his 2024 arrest and the seizure of more than 32 kilograms of cocaine, 14 kilograms of methamphetamine, 83,000 fentanyl‑laced pills, 3 kilograms of heroin and a kilogram of fentanyl powder by a Homeland Security Task Force.

Law enforcement also recovered heroin, a loaded firearm, hundreds of rounds of ammunition and dozens of mobile phones during searches of Hernandez’s residence and truck. He pleaded guilty in May 2025 to conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug‑trafficking crime. Federal officials highlighted the case’s national and international reach and used it to criticize sanctuary policies, noting that Hernandez had previously avoided immigration enforcement despite prior convictions.

DEA Special Agent in Charge Rob Saccone described the operation as a “significant drug conspiracy with national and international reach,” emphasizing the agency’s commitment to dismantling similar networks.