A federal grand jury has indicted Richard Daniel Garcia, 36, of Murray, Utah, on charges related to drug trafficking and firearm offenses. The indictment follows an operation on November 17, 2025, where agents from the DEA Metro Narcotics Task Force (MNTF) and Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) conducted a controlled purchase of fentanyl pills in Murray.
According to court documents, after confirming the sale of fentanyl during the operation, law enforcement arrested Garcia. Authorities seized a Springfield Hellcast 9mm handgun and approximately 1,032 grams of fentanyl—an amount equivalent to about 10,000 individual pills.
Garcia faces charges including possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, felon in possession of a firearm, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. His initial appearance is scheduled for December 4, 2025 at the Orrin G. Hatch United States District Courthouse in Salt Lake City.
United States Attorney Melissa Holyoak for the District of Utah announced the indictment. Special Assistant United States Attorney Alex Westenskow is prosecuting the case.
The investigation was conducted jointly by MNTF and HSTF as part of Operation Take Back America—a national initiative led by the Department of Justice aimed at combating illegal immigration and dismantling criminal organizations. The case also falls under the Homeland Security Task Force initiative established by Executive Order 14159. This task force coordinates efforts across government agencies to target criminal cartels and transnational organizations involved in crimes such as human smuggling and trafficking.
“An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.”
