NYC Man Arrested in Putnam Again on Drug Charges

MAHOPAC, NY – Putnam County Sheriff Donald B. Smith reports that the Sheriff’s Narcotics Enforcement Unit has arrested a New York City man on drug and weapon charges in Mahopac.

Julio A. Garcia, 37, of Queens, is facing felony charges in the case.

The arrest occurred at about 11:30 p.m. on Oct. 13, after sheriff’s deputies pulled over the car Garcia was driving along Route 6N in Mahopac for traffic infractions. During the vehicle stop, deputies determined that 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, police allege the deputies found that 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”). Plus, he had a loaded .380 caliber semi- automatic pistol in the vehicle.

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 bail.

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

PHOTO: Julio A. Garcia, 37, of Queens/ Putnam Sheriff's Office