New York City Man Arrested on Drug and Weapon Charges in Mahopac

Putnam County Sheriff Donald B. Smith reports that the Sheriff’s Narcotics Enforcement Unit (“NEU”) has arrested a New York City man on drug and weapon charges in Mahopac. Mr. Julio A. Garcia, aged 37, of Coral Reef Way in Queens, is facing felony charges in the case.

The arrest occurred at about 11:30 PM on October 13th, after sheriff’s deputies pulled over the car Mr. Garcia was driving along Route 6N in Mahopac for traffic infractions. During the vehicle stop, deputies determined that Mr. Garcia was driving outside the restrictions of a conditional license, stemming from a prior conviction earlier this year for driving while impaired by alcohol.

Upon further investigation, deputies found that Mr. Garcia was allegedly in possession of 15 plastic bags containing cocaine and one plastic bag containing a quantity of the synthetic drug MDMA (also known as “ecstasy”). In addition, he was allegedly found to have a loaded .380 caliber semi-automatic pistol within the vehicle.

Mr. Garcia was charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance in the fourth degree, criminal possession of a controlled substance in the third degree with the intent to sell, criminal possession of a weapon in the second degree (for having a loaded firearm), criminal possession of a weapon in the third degree (for having a firearm after a prior felony conviction), and several vehicle equipment violations. He was arraigned before Town Justice Thomas Jacobellis of the Carmel Town Justice Court and remanded to the Putnam County Correctional Facility in lieu of $50,000.00 bail.

Mr. Garcia was arrested by the Sheriff’s NEU on similar felony narcotics possession charges in 2014. In that case, he eventually pled guilty to a reduced misdemeanor charge and received a conditional discharge in a plea-bargain arrangement.