Jonathan Garcia, 23 years of age, formerly of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was charged by superseding indictment with attempted Hobbs Act robbery and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. The original six-count indictment against Garcia, returned June 20, 2012, charged four counts of distribution of heroin and two counts of carrying a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime. The FBI arrested Garcia in June, and he is in custody pending trial.
According to the superseding indictment, Garcia, then a police officer, attempted to rob an individual he believed to be a pill dealer of $2,030 and prescription pain medication. Authorities said Garcia did this while he was on active duty, by using his patrol car, uniform, service pistol, and handcuffs to illegally stop and arrest the individual and illegally search the individual’s vehicle.
The original indictment charges Garcia with selling heroin on four occasions and with carrying a firearm during two of the heroin transactions.
If convicted of all charges, Garcia faces a maximum sentence of life imprisonment and a mandatory minimum sentence of 55 years’ imprisonment.
An indictment or information is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
