SPOKANE, Wash. – Israel Garcia, 36, has been sentenced to 20 years in federal prison for discharging a firearm at Spokane police during a drug trafficking crime, the U.S Attorney’s Office announced in a release.
Garcia, a documented gang member unlawfully present in the U.S., was also convicted of possessing over 400 grams of fentanyl with intent to distribute.
According to court documents, Garcia was previously convicted in 2015 for assaulting federal officers in a drug and firearm trafficking case. After serving his sentence, he was deported to Mexico but returned unlawfully to the U.S. in 2022, resuming his drug trafficking activities.
On October 16, 2022, Garcia traveled from Yakima to Spokane with 10,000 fentanyl pills. When Spokane police attempted to arrest him, Garcia opened fire, endangering officers and passengers in his vehicle, including a minor child. Officers returned fire, ending the threat.
“We have zero tolerance for dangerous offenders like Garcia who pose an immediate threat to our community and our law enforcement partners,” said Pete Serrano, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington.
Garcia was under federal supervision at the time of the incident and now faces state charges for the assault on law enforcement officers.
