Alexandria Man Indicted On Federal Drug, Weapon Charges

ALEXANDRIA, VA — An Alexandria man arrested last August as part of an undercover operation by Arlington County police was indicted by a federal grand jury recently on drug and weapon charges, according to court documents.

On March 11, Carlos Antonio Rivera Morales was indicted in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia on charges of possession with intent to distribute cocaine, fentanyl, and heroin, and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime, court records say.

An Arlington County police officer working undercover on Aug. 20, 2026 witnessed Morales conduct at least 10 suspected drug transactions in a parking lot located in the 4100 block of Mount Vernon Avenue in the City of Alexandria, according to an affidavit filed by an FBI special agent in support of arrest warrant request.

The transactions occurred over a period of several hours and involved unknown individuals walking up to Morales, who was sitting in the driver's seat of a parked Chevrolet Captiva, according to the affidavit. The individuals leaned into the driver side of the car and exit holding items that were consistent in size and appearance to suspected drugs.

Shortly after midnight, a uniformed officer from Arlington County police pulled over the Chevrolet Captiva as part of a traffic stop at the intersection of Columbia Pike and South Glebe Road in Arlington, according to the affidavit.

The officer determined that Morales' Virginia drivers license was suspended and that the other occupant of the vehicle only had a learner's permit and did not drive, according to the affidavit.

Based on this information and ACPD's impound policy, the officer conducted an inventory search and found more than 100 containers of suspected narcotics in Morales' pockets and throughout the vehicle, according to the affidavit.

A search of the vehicle's center console revealed a black Glock, model 43 pistol and a latex glove containing a 9mm round of ammunition, according to court records. The various substances were chemically tested and proved to be cocaine and fentanyl, which are schedule II controlled substances.

Arlington County police arrested and charged Morales with possession of a firearm with schedule 1/11 drugs, receipt of a stolen and concealed firearm, distribution/selling for profit schedule I/II drugs, and two counts of intent to manufacture and distribute schedule I/II drugs, according to court records.

Morales' preliminary hearing in Arlington General District Court was continued to Dec. 12, 2026, court records say. The case was placed under review and the suspect remained in custody.

Morales is scheduled to be arraigned at 9 a.m. on March 25, in the federal courthouse in Alexandria, according to court records.